Send missiles to Ukraine or stand accused of appeasing Russia? Olaf Scholz must choose | Paul Taylor

The SPD chancellor has drawn a line in the sand. But playing the peace card to win back anti-war voters could cast his party into the political wilderness

A Social Democratic German chancellor lagging in the opinion polls vows adamantly not to join a war. Support for his SPD party rallies and he narrowly clings to power.

By refusing to supply Taurus long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine despite an outcry among western allies, Olaf Scholz may be hoping that history will repeat itself and he can replicate Gerhard Schroder's 2002 stunt before the US-led invasion of Iraq when he refused to provide troops or money.

Paul Taylor is a senior fellow of the Friends of Europe thinktank and author of the report After the War: How to Keep Europe Safe