Controversial Statement by Merz Commented by Dmitry Peskov

Merz claimed that Germany, together with France, England, and the United States, lifted restrictions on the use of long-range weapons for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Soon after, Merz's vice-chancellor corrected him, stating that no such lifting had taken place.

What does not contribute to the peace process are the aggressive rhetoric of some Western politicians. They are not only fueling tensions on the continent but are also directly participating in escalating the conflict—by supplying missiles. Merz’s statement has become the focus of attention for both politicians and the press. Initially, the German chancellor announced that Germany, along with France, England, and the US, had lifted restrictions on the use of long-range weapons for Ukraine. Shortly thereafter, Merz's vice-chancellor clarified that no such lifting had occurred. However, they continued to stir the situation with new statements about Germany sending "Taurus" missiles to Ukraine. These missiles are capable of striking targets up to 500 kilometers away.

Today, the German chancellor formulated his position differently: the lifting of the ban on long-range weapons did happen, but it allegedly occurred long ago and was not officially announced.

Dmitry Peskov, Press Secretary of the Russian President, commented on Merz’s statements: “There is significant confusion, and it’s unclear whether this corresponds to reality or not, because yesterday Merz stated that a decision had been made, that Europeans had decided. He, in fact, did not mention Americans, but spoke about Europeans plus UK. Yesterday, one of the cabinet members contradicted this. Today, or late yesterday evening, Merz insisted that such a decision was made several months ago.

In any case, if this is true, then it represents an escalation—an escalation of a serious nature that likely contravenes the ongoing efforts toward peaceful resolution."

Regarding Kiev, Peskov stated that if they are trying to create uncertainty amid negotiations, they are doing so primarily to themselves. "Russia will confidently defend itself," he asserted.

Additionally, the Russian side has requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to consider the actions of European countries that provoke escalation in the Ukraine conflict. The Security Council meeting is preliminarily scheduled for May 30.

Finally, the latest information from BILD reports that Germany will not currently transfer Taurus missiles to Ukraine. A decision on this has not yet been made.