Jame Rothwell in Berlin reports that Chancellor Olaf Scholz is facing a backlash over his refusal to supply Taurus missiles to Ukraine. 

Some security experts have dismissed his reasoning for doing so – Mr Scholz fears the missiles could lead to a direct Russia-Germany confrontation – while rival politicians have accused him of prolonging the war. 

Christian Moelling, a German security analyst for DGAP, accused the Chancellor of throwing “Nebelkerze” [smoke grenades] to conceal his true reasons for the refusal, such as his concerns about Ukraine using the missiles to target Russian territory. 

British officials have already reassured that Berlin would have a veto on what Ukraine could target with the Taurus missiles, as is the case with British Storm Shadows. 

Norbert Roettgen, a senior MP for the opposition party CDU, said the “Chancellor’s refusal to deliver Taurus to the Ukrainians contributes to prolonging the war…This policy is therefore seriously flawed morally and politically.” 

Christoph Heusgen, the chair of the Munich security conference, said a Ukrainian attack on Kerch bridge – which Mr Scholz fears would escalate the war by a step too far – would be a “legitimate and important” attack under international law, cutting Russian supply lines into occupied Crimea.