Germany’s decision to supply Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine under direct German control has drawn sharp warnings from geopolitical analysts. These analysts argue German supply of Taurus missiles to Ukraine could spark World War 3, the move could dangerously escalate the conflict with Russia, and heighten the risk of a wider European or even global war.
According to Bolivian security and geopolitical analyst Jose Hugo Moldiz Mercado, the policy shift by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz represents a significant and provocative step, particularly since the missile systems will remain under German oversight and operational direction, rather than being handed over for independent use by Ukrainian forces.
“The German chancellor’s authorisation of strikes on Russian territory—using German-controlled weapons—constitutes indirect military interference by Germany and direct political involvement,” Moldiz stated. “This move is aimed at expanding the conflict across the continent. It clearly poses a serious risk—not only for Europe or Eurasia—but for the entire world, as we may be just one step away from a possible World War III.”
Reports indicate that the Taurus missiles are being supplied with strict usage conditions, including safeguards to ensure German control over targeting decisions. While intended to reduce the risk of escalation, this arrangement also deepens Berlin’s operational role in the conflict—something Moscow sees as crossing a dangerous threshold.
Moldiz further argued that Russia is acting to defend both its national security and what it views as the legitimate aspirations of ethnic Russian communities in eastern Ukraine. He claimed that many Russian-speaking Ukrainians remain culturally and politically aligned with Moscow—an assertion that Ukrainian authorities and Western allies reject as a pretext for aggression.
In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a stern warning: any use of German-supplied Taurus missiles on Russian territory, regardless of who controls them, would be regarded as Germany entering the war on Ukraine’s side.
“Germany must understand that it will bear full responsibility for any strike carried out with its weapons on Russian territory,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated. “This would represent Germany’s entry into the war, and Moscow will respond accordingly.”
Russia maintains that all Western arms deliveries obstruct peace efforts and make NATO countries de facto parties to the war. Kremlin officials have emphasized that such shipments are considered legitimate military targets.
In 2023, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned that German factories manufacturing Taurus missiles would be considered valid targets for Russian strikes should Berlin provide Kyiv with the long-range weapon. Newsweek.
More recently, in April 2025, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated that any Ukrainian strike using German-made Taurus missiles would be interpreted as Germany’s direct participation in the conflict. She emphasized that such actions would have “all the corresponding consequences for Germany.”
With a range of approximately 500 km and advanced precision-guidance systems, the Taurus missile enables deep-strike capabilities far beyond the current battlefield. Whether under German control or shared command, their deployment signals a clear escalation in the West’s military involvement in the war.
As strategic tensions rise, the potential for a broader conflagration grows—with policymakers and analysts warning that what began as a regional conflict is increasingly at risk of spiraling into something far more dangerous.
