German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) has reacted with concern to the United States' announcement to abandon the planned deployment of Tomahawk cruise missiles in Germany. Such a move "would be regrettable and disadvantageous for us," Pistorius said Monday on ZDF's "heute journal." Less problematic, he noted, is the US-announced withdrawal of 5,000 soldiers from Germany.
The abandonment of the Tomahawk deployment, however, is "for me the news that concerns me more than the other," Pistorius said.
Should the US missiles indeed not arrive, the Europeans' capability gap in the cruise missile sector "would be extended somewhat longer," Pistorius said. Europe must therefore endeavor to bring its own systems currently in development "quickly into application."
The deployment of the long-range cruise missiles in Germany had been agreed upon by the Federal Republic and the United States under then-President Joe Biden in 2024 - to deter Russia and thus defend NATO alliance territory. They were intended to close the gap until Europe's own missiles become operational.
Russia has stationed Iskander cruise missiles in its Kaliningrad exclave, which could reach European targets. Since the beginning of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine more than four years ago, the deployment of medium-range weapons in Germany has again been deemed necessary by many experts.
The Europeans themselves do not yet possess capabilities of this kind and are therefore dependent on the United States.
Pistorius showed little conviction Monday regarding the proposal by former SPD parliamentary leader Rolf Mützenich to conduct disarmament talks with Russia in light of the planned reduction of US military presence in Europe. "That is his personal view," Pistorius said in the "heute journal" with reference to Mützenich. "Mine is quite different and so is that of the majority of the SPD."
At the moment, the discussion is "unfortunately going in the other direction" than toward disarmament. Moreover, it holds true that Russian President Vladimir Putin "speaks with no one - and those with whom he speaks, he usually lies to."
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