04:31German MPs took aim at the government's failure to deploy Taurus missiles to Ukraine and the leaked military audio row, during a session of the Bundestag in Berlin on Wednesday.
"The Chancellor's reasoning for Taurus is the same as for the delivery of heavy weapons…. it was initially said that we cannot deliver because the systems would be too complicated because we would then be directly involved in the war," stated CDU opposition member Jens Lehmann.
"Finally, and after massive pressure, the Chancellor agreed to supply the weapons," he continued, before highlighting that both the UK and France were already sending missiles similar to Taurus.
"Hence my question to them, the Federal Government and the Chancellor, who announced the English and French presence in Ukraine: are the NATO states Great Britain and France at war with Russia?" he asked. " I'll take the answer up front, no. Both countries are not parties to the war, even though they supply similar weapons systems to those that Germany would like to deliver."
However, Andrej Hunko from the Reason and Justice alliance claimed that 'there is a clear majority of the population against the delivery and it is also correct that the Federal Chancellor says that he will not deliver any Taurus because of the risk of direct participation in the war cannot be ruled out.
"But I look at the coalition I am not sure and many people are worried whether the Chancellor will fall again in the end. And we say very clearly, no, this further escalation must not be tolerated," he added.
Lehmann also touched on the leaked German audio recording, in which officers discussed the potential deployment of Taurus. Chancellor Olaf Scholz already admitted it was a 'serious breach'.
"The Russians' wiretapping must not happen," Lehmann alleged, despite Defence Minister Boris Pistorius claiming the country's military communications were 'not compromised' during the breach because the issue came from user error.
"The fact that our Air Force officers were intercepted reveals mercilessly that we urgently need to improve when it comes to encrypted communication and, above all, its application. I think we all expect a full explanation from Minister Pistorius with corresponding consequences," he added.
Ganieszka Brugger from the Green Party, a member of the governing coalition, admitted that 'we have been talking for days about the negligence of German generals'.
"It is still a serious incident that needs to be dealt with, the Bundeswehr is doing what we did on Monday in the Defence Committee," Brugger said, claiming the recording had been 'maliciously spread via Telegram by the head of Putin's propaganda channel Russia Today'.
Dr Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann from the Free Democratic Party (FDP) added that the leak was 'supposed to put pressure on the minister to throw out outstanding generals, it's supposed to put pressure on them'.
Meanwhile, Adis Ahmetovic from the Social Democratic Party (SPD) referred to the media reports claiming 'at least a hundred right-wing extremists' were part of the AfD (right-wing Alternative for Germany Party), and claimed the party 'uses the Russian narrative to unsettle our population' and taxpayers' money to 'undermine our democracy'.
The AfD is fighting an ongoing case with the security agencies over whether it can be treated as a suspected extremist group, after a 2021 designation allowed for wiretapping and use of informants. The party strong denies any links to Russia and says it is a democratic, non-extremist organisation.
Scholz has repeatedly ruled out sending Taurus to Ukraine, citing concerns about 'escalation' of the conflict and the need for German troops on the ground. Earlier this week, he avoided directly commenting on a potential 'ring exchange' proposed by the UK, which would see Taurus delivered to London and additional Storm Shadows sent from the UK to Ukraine - which his foreign minister said was an 'option'.
The German leader recently triggered a huge row with London for suggesting the UK - and France - were already helping Ukraine with 'target control' of missiles, while attempting to explain why Taurus would not be sent.
The leaked German military audio featuring four officers discussing deploying the Taurus system, and also claimed the UK had troops in the country, which London has always denied.
Deputy Head of Russia's Security Council Dmitry Medvedev claimed the leak proved Germany was 'preparing for war against Russia'. Following the claims - as well as President Macron of France's own insistence that troops in Ukraine could not be 'ruled out' - Moscow accused Western leaders of 'playing with fire' and risking escalation of the conflict.
'Are UK, France at war with Russia?' - MPs condemn Taurus delay, 'negligence of generals' over leaked audio
German MPs took aim at the government's failure to deploy Taurus missiles to Ukraine and the leaked military audio row, during a session of the Bundestag in Berlin on Wednesday.
"The Chancellor's reasoning for Taurus is the same as for the delivery of heavy weapons…. it was initially said that we cannot deliver because the systems would be too complicated because we would then be directly involved in the war," stated CDU opposition member Jens Lehmann.
"Finally, and after massive pressure, the Chancellor agreed to supply the weapons," he continued, before highlighting that both the UK and France were already sending missiles similar to Taurus.
"Hence my question to them, the Federal Government and the Chancellor, who announced the English and French presence in Ukraine: are the NATO states Great Britain and France at war with Russia?" he asked. " I'll take the answer up front, no. Both countries are not parties to the war, even though they supply similar weapons systems to those that Germany would like to deliver."
However, Andrej Hunko from the Reason and Justice alliance claimed that 'there is a clear majority of the population against the delivery and it is also correct that the Federal Chancellor says that he will not deliver any Taurus because of the risk of direct participation in the war cannot be ruled out.
"But I look at the coalition I am not sure and many people are worried whether the Chancellor will fall again in the end. And we say very clearly, no, this further escalation must not be tolerated," he added.
Lehmann also touched on the leaked German audio recording, in which officers discussed the potential deployment of Taurus. Chancellor Olaf Scholz already admitted it was a 'serious breach'.
"The Russians' wiretapping must not happen," Lehmann alleged, despite Defence Minister Boris Pistorius claiming the country's military communications were 'not compromised' during the breach because the issue came from user error.
"The fact that our Air Force officers were intercepted reveals mercilessly that we urgently need to improve when it comes to encrypted communication and, above all, its application. I think we all expect a full explanation from Minister Pistorius with corresponding consequences," he added.
Ganieszka Brugger from the Green Party, a member of the governing coalition, admitted that 'we have been talking for days about the negligence of German generals'.
"It is still a serious incident that needs to be dealt with, the Bundeswehr is doing what we did on Monday in the Defence Committee," Brugger said, claiming the recording had been 'maliciously spread via Telegram by the head of Putin's propaganda channel Russia Today'.
Dr Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann from the Free Democratic Party (FDP) added that the leak was 'supposed to put pressure on the minister to throw out outstanding generals, it's supposed to put pressure on them'.
Meanwhile, Adis Ahmetovic from the Social Democratic Party (SPD) referred to the media reports claiming 'at least a hundred right-wing extremists' were part of the AfD (right-wing Alternative for Germany Party), and claimed the party 'uses the Russian narrative to unsettle our population' and taxpayers' money to 'undermine our democracy'.
The AfD is fighting an ongoing case with the security agencies over whether it can be treated as a suspected extremist group, after a 2021 designation allowed for wiretapping and use of informants. The party strong denies any links to Russia and says it is a democratic, non-extremist organisation.
Scholz has repeatedly ruled out sending Taurus to Ukraine, citing concerns about 'escalation' of the conflict and the need for German troops on the ground. Earlier this week, he avoided directly commenting on a potential 'ring exchange' proposed by the UK, which would see Taurus delivered to London and additional Storm Shadows sent from the UK to Ukraine - which his foreign minister said was an 'option'.
The German leader recently triggered a huge row with London for suggesting the UK - and France - were already helping Ukraine with 'target control' of missiles, while attempting to explain why Taurus would not be sent.
The leaked German military audio featuring four officers discussing deploying the Taurus system, and also claimed the UK had troops in the country, which London has always denied.
Deputy Head of Russia's Security Council Dmitry Medvedev claimed the leak proved Germany was 'preparing for war against Russia'. Following the claims - as well as President Macron of France's own insistence that troops in Ukraine could not be 'ruled out' - Moscow accused Western leaders of 'playing with fire' and risking escalation of the conflict.
German MPs took aim at the government's failure to deploy Taurus missiles to Ukraine and the leaked military audio row, during a session of the Bundestag in Berlin on Wednesday.
"The Chancellor's reasoning for Taurus is the same as for the delivery of heavy weapons…. it was initially said that we cannot deliver because the systems would be too complicated because we would then be directly involved in the war," stated CDU opposition member Jens Lehmann.
"Finally, and after massive pressure, the Chancellor agreed to supply the weapons," he continued, before highlighting that both the UK and France were already sending missiles similar to Taurus.
"Hence my question to them, the Federal Government and the Chancellor, who announced the English and French presence in Ukraine: are the NATO states Great Britain and France at war with Russia?" he asked. " I'll take the answer up front, no. Both countries are not parties to the war, even though they supply similar weapons systems to those that Germany would like to deliver."
However, Andrej Hunko from the Reason and Justice alliance claimed that 'there is a clear majority of the population against the delivery and it is also correct that the Federal Chancellor says that he will not deliver any Taurus because of the risk of direct participation in the war cannot be ruled out.
"But I look at the coalition I am not sure and many people are worried whether the Chancellor will fall again in the end. And we say very clearly, no, this further escalation must not be tolerated," he added.
Lehmann also touched on the leaked German audio recording, in which officers discussed the potential deployment of Taurus. Chancellor Olaf Scholz already admitted it was a 'serious breach'.
"The Russians' wiretapping must not happen," Lehmann alleged, despite Defence Minister Boris Pistorius claiming the country's military communications were 'not compromised' during the breach because the issue came from user error.
"The fact that our Air Force officers were intercepted reveals mercilessly that we urgently need to improve when it comes to encrypted communication and, above all, its application. I think we all expect a full explanation from Minister Pistorius with corresponding consequences," he added.
Ganieszka Brugger from the Green Party, a member of the governing coalition, admitted that 'we have been talking for days about the negligence of German generals'.
"It is still a serious incident that needs to be dealt with, the Bundeswehr is doing what we did on Monday in the Defence Committee," Brugger said, claiming the recording had been 'maliciously spread via Telegram by the head of Putin's propaganda channel Russia Today'.
Dr Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann from the Free Democratic Party (FDP) added that the leak was 'supposed to put pressure on the minister to throw out outstanding generals, it's supposed to put pressure on them'.
Meanwhile, Adis Ahmetovic from the Social Democratic Party (SPD) referred to the media reports claiming 'at least a hundred right-wing extremists' were part of the AfD (right-wing Alternative for Germany Party), and claimed the party 'uses the Russian narrative to unsettle our population' and taxpayers' money to 'undermine our democracy'.
The AfD is fighting an ongoing case with the security agencies over whether it can be treated as a suspected extremist group, after a 2021 designation allowed for wiretapping and use of informants. The party strong denies any links to Russia and says it is a democratic, non-extremist organisation.
Scholz has repeatedly ruled out sending Taurus to Ukraine, citing concerns about 'escalation' of the conflict and the need for German troops on the ground. Earlier this week, he avoided directly commenting on a potential 'ring exchange' proposed by the UK, which would see Taurus delivered to London and additional Storm Shadows sent from the UK to Ukraine - which his foreign minister said was an 'option'.
The German leader recently triggered a huge row with London for suggesting the UK - and France - were already helping Ukraine with 'target control' of missiles, while attempting to explain why Taurus would not be sent.
The leaked German military audio featuring four officers discussing deploying the Taurus system, and also claimed the UK had troops in the country, which London has always denied.
Deputy Head of Russia's Security Council Dmitry Medvedev claimed the leak proved Germany was 'preparing for war against Russia'. Following the claims - as well as President Macron of France's own insistence that troops in Ukraine could not be 'ruled out' - Moscow accused Western leaders of 'playing with fire' and risking escalation of the conflict.