No decision from the 27 is expected on Monday during this meeting of foreign ministers. But, as soon as the EU has confirmation, “we will react”, specified this senior official, citing the example of sanctions taken against Iran, accused of delivering drones and missiles to Russia.
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“It is important to send a message to China” warning it “against any escalation” in the conflict, said Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.
The United States, for its part, announced sanctions on October 18 targeting two Chinese companies linked to the production of drones used by Russia in its war in Ukraine.
These decisions concern a total of three companies – two in China and one in Russia – and a Russian citizen, for their alleged involvement in the development and manufacture of a long-range attack drone.
Germany to deliver 4,000 sophisticated drones to Ukraine
Germany, which refuses the delivery of long-range missiles requested by kyiv, will provide 4,000 sophisticated drones to Ukraine in difficulty against Russia, the Minister of Defense announced on Monday.
“These are drones controlled by artificial intelligence (AI) and which can disable the electronic defenses of opposing drones,” Minister Boris Pistorius explained to the press.
These 4,000 units, “deliverable very quickly” would be able to act over a range of “30, 40 km” in Russian territory and “attack combat posts, logistical nodes and others”, he said. added, considering that they constituted “an important additional asset for the Ukrainian armed forces”.
Berlin announced in June the delivery of thousands of drones to Ukraine, without specifying their technical characteristics.
The high-tech drones are manufactured by Helsing, a European company specializing in defense artificial intelligence (AI) which concluded a contract with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense in September, according to the daily Bild.
The AI-controlled drones are nicknamed “mini Taurus”, says Bild, in reference to the German Taurus cruise missile, with a range of more than 500 kilometers, whose delivery the Ukrainian government has requested on several occasions, but in vain.
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A comparison rejected by the Ministry of Defense. “These drones are tactical drones with a limited range and the link made with the Taurus (…) does not exist,” Natalie Jenning, a spokesperson for the ministry, said on Monday.
Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), at the head of a minority government with the Greens since the breakup of his coalition on November 6, justifies his refusal to deliver Taurus by fear of an escalation between Russia and Westerners.
Olaf Scholz is “clearly committed” to the Taurus issue and will no longer “change” his position, one of his spokespersons clarified on Monday after the green light given by the United States to Ukraine to use American long-range missiles against Russia.
After months of hesitation, Washington made this decision a few weeks before Donald Trump came to power, according to an American official and press information.
The German chancellor’s position is contested by other politicians. Green Minister Robert Habeck, running in the February 23 elections, said on Sunday that he would reverse Scholz’s decision if he were chancellor.
The conservatives, leading in opinion polls, have also regularly advocated sending the Taurus.
