The Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday issued a stark warning to Germany over the possibility of long-range Taurus missiles being deployed in Ukraine.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said that Russia would treat Taurus missile strikes on its "critical transport infrastructure" as "direct" German involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. 

Germany's presumptive next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, said this past weekend that he is open to delivering the Taurus missiles to Ukraine provided it is done with coordination with European partners.

European officials such as Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp and Polish Prime Minister Radoslaw Sikorski welcomed Merz's comments on Taurus deliveries during a meeting in Luxembourg on Monday. 

The Taurus KEPD-350 is capable to travel at speed of up to 1,170 kilometers (727 miles) per hour and can reach targets as far  as 500 kilometers away.

The Taurus missiles would allow Ukraine to hit targets deep inside Russian territory.   

SPD reiterates opposition to Taurus missile deliveries to Ukraine

Merz's CDU, along with its Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union (CSU), is expected to soon form a government with the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD).

The SPD has expressed opposition to delivering sending Taurus missiles to Ukraine, due to fears of escalation. 

On Wednesday, SPD General Secretary Matthias Miersch reiterated his party's opposition to the Taurus deliveries during an interview with German television channel n-tv, saying we "do not want to become a warring party."

Miersch suggested that when Merz receives classified information on the issue, he would be able to evaluate the strategic implications more clearly, and thereafter the coalition parties would be able to reach a decision on the Taurus deliveries to Ukraine.   

Ukraine would welcome Germany U-turn on Taurus 

Current German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has also opposed Taurus deliveries to Ukraine since the start of Russia's invasion in February 2022.

Merz's coalition shifting its policy is a step that would be welcomed by Kyiv.  

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has long urged Germany to deliver the missiles and has criticized Scholz for his reluctance on the issue.         

France and the UK have given longer-range Storm Shadow/SCALP missiles to Ukraine.

In November, just months before leaving office, then-President Joe Biden also authorized Ukraine to use US-supplied missiles to hit Russia.