Germany faces a political crisis over sending Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine

The FDP-Greens-Social Democrat coalition is putting forward a resolution on arming Ukraine that calls for "the delivery of additional necessary long-range weapons systems and ammunition to enable Ukraine to carry out international law-compliant, targeted attacks on strategically important targets deep in the rear area of the Russian aggressor."

The capabilities mentioned in the coalition resolution "can only mean Taurus cruise missiles. However, the SPD failed to mention them by name," Strack-Zimmermann tweeted.

The missiles have a range of about 500 kilometers and a powerful warhead that can destroy reinforced targets or key infrastructure like bridges. That's what's giving Chancellor Olaf Scholz pause, thanks to worries about escalating the conflict with Russia and also being out of step with Washington, which so far has sent only a handful of its MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System ballistic missiles.

Strack-Zimmermann flagged her intention to also vote for the resolution put forward by the opposition on a Tuesday morning flight from Greece with Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

She blamed the "stubbornness of the chancellor's office" for the absence of a Taurus reference — "it lacks exactly one word" — in the government's resolution.

The Greens have also backed sending the Taurus to Ukraine, and the party's MPs could join Strack-Zimmermann in supporting the opposition resolution later this week.