Germany Scholz accuses Russia of "unbelievable armament"
Chancellor Olaf Scholz has justified the planned deployment of US cruise missiles with a range of up to 2500 kilometers with the threat from Russia. "We know that there has been an incredible arms build-up in Russia, with weapons that threaten European territory," said Scholz on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington.
11.07.2024, 17:29
SDA
There had been lengthy discussions on how to respond with conventional deterrence in addition to the NATO nuclear umbrella. The deployment of long-range weapons had already been laid down a year ago in Germany's first National Security Strategy. "That is why the United States' decision fits in perfectly with this strategy, which we have been discussing publicly for a long time."
For the first time since the Cold War, the USA wants to station weapons systems in Germany that reach as far as Russia. This was agreed by the White House and the German government on Wednesday. Moscow is around 1600 kilometers away from Berlin as the crow flies. From 2026, Tomahawk cruise missiles, SM-6 anti-aircraft missiles and newly developed supersonic weapons will provide better protection for NATO allies in Europe.
The decision brings back memories of the Cold War. As a young Social Democrat in the early 1980s, Scholz himself protested against the NATO Dual-Track Decision, which included the deployment of Pershing II medium-range missiles, which were withdrawn after the end of the Cold War in 1991.
When asked whether he expected greater resistance to the return of such long-range weapons to Germany, including from within his own party, Scholz said: "This decision has been a long time in the making and comes as no real surprise to anyone involved in security and peace policy." And it also fits in perfectly with the German government's security strategy, which has been publicly discussed.
