German Defence Minister opposes supplying Taurus missiles to Ukraine

Saskia EskensPD leader

The delivery ... We will stick to that

said SPD leader Saskia Esken

Joe Bidenu.S. President

I hope that Chancellor Olaf Scholz will have the same belated realization at the end of his term of office in the interest of Europe's security. If he is true to his word that he will act together with his allies, then he must finally act now."

Referring to Biden's decision, she wrote on the social media platform X

We must not be linked in any way or at any place with the targets that this system achieves,

he said

There are certain limits for the chancellor,

the spokesperson said

It has long been known that [my party] sees this in the same way as do our Eastern European partners, the British, the French and the Americans,

she told a German public radio station

For this reason, Chancellor Scholz did not want to cross certain boundaries... in his military support for Ukraine."

Quote from Büchner

Annalena Baerbockforeign Minister

The decision from the American side, and I would like to emphasize that this is not a rethink but an intensification of what has already been delivered by other partners, is so important at this moment,

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said ahead of a summit for EU top diplomats in Brussels

Josep BorrelleU foreign policy chief

I've been saying once and again that Ukraine should be able to use the arms we provided to them, in order to not only stop the arrows but also to be able to hit the archers."

Outgoing EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell added

Every life destroyed by Russia is a big tragedy,

said Internal Affairs Minister Ihor Klymenko

These guys, Biden's administration, is trying to escalate the situation to the maximum while they still have power and are still in office,

Butina told Reuters news agency

Children, as some of the most vulnerable groups in any society, enjoy special protection under international humanitarian law,

said Amnesty's Ukraine expert Patrick Thompson

It's obvious that the outgoing administration in Washington intends to take steps in order to continue fuelling the fire and provoking further escalation of tensions,

he said

The chancellor's decision is unchanged,

the spokesperson told a regular news conference in Berlin

Donald Tuskpolish Prime Minister

No-one will stop Putin with phone calls,

Tusk wrote in English

The conversation was very detailed but contributed to a recognition that little has changed in the Russian President's views of the war – and that's not good news,

Scholz told reporters at Berlin airport on Sunday before heading to Brazil for the G20 summit

A Russian salient [an area of the battlefield extending into enemy territory] south of Kupiansk has gradually expanded as Russia attempts to increase pressure on Ukrainian forces in the area,

the report added

[The ... The war] can only end when the Russian president is prepared to step back from his imperialist ambitions,

he said