Berlin, 6 December 2024 (dpa/MIA) - The German lower house of parliament, or Bundestag, is to hold a debate on Friday on whether to send Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, despite resistance from Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The corresponding motion was submitted by the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), which left Scholz's governing coalition last month after the chancellor fired FDP leader Christian Lindner as finance minister.

The Taurus missiles would enable Ukraine to carry out attacks on military targets far behind the front lines, according to the FDP motion, which is unlikely to be voted on.

There has long been a debate about whether Germany should supply Taurus missiles to Ukraine for use in its fight against Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion.

Ukrainian leaders have repeatedly asked Berlin specifically for the missiles, but Scholz has vehemently refused to supply the weapon to Kiev, saying he fears their delivery would draw Germany into the war.