Scholz assures Zelensky of support despite Taurus delivery blockade

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had a phone talk with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky about strengthening cooperation with allies on military support, Sky News reports. 

The Ukrainian leader reported on his conversation with Scholz and discussed further political, economic and defense cooperation.

"We discussed the development of defense cooperation both at the level of states and at the level of representatives of the defense industry and the localization of production in Ukraine. I conveyed the priority needs of Ukrainian defenders in armored vehicles, artillery and air defense."

The German Bundestag once again failed to vote on the proposal to supply Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.

The roll-call vote was held not at the request of the opposition, but on the recommendation of the Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committee, which recommended rejecting the proposal.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz previously categorically rejected the possibility of transferring these weapons systems to Ukraine.

On May 27 last year, Ukraine made an official request to Germany to provide it with Taurus long-range cruise missiles.

In November, the MBDA arms maker, which owns Taurus Systems, pledged to increase production of missiles in the shortest possible time and integrate new technical achievements into them.

On March 9, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron suggested that Germany would transfer Taurus missiles to Britain, and London would provide Ukraine with additional Storm Shadow missiles in return.