In response to the planned stationing of longer-range and hypersonic missiles by the U.S. in Germany, Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to deploy new strike weapons. Putin made this announcement during a naval parade in St. Petersburg, stating that Russia will take “mirror measures” if the U.S. goes ahead with its plans to deploy these weapons starting in 2026. This move by the U.S. is seen as a response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with the U.S. affirming its commitment to NATO and European defense through this deployment. Putin mentioned that Russia’s development of suitable systems for this purpose is in its final stages.
Both Washington and Moscow have indicated their readiness to deploy intermediate-range ground-based weapons, which were banned under a 1987 U.S.-Soviet treaty. The U.S. withdrew from this agreement in 2019, accusing Moscow of conducting missile tests that violated the treaty. Tensions between Moscow and the West have been escalating, particularly in the aftermath of the downing of a Malaysian airliner over eastern Ukraine, leading to allegations and convictions of individuals involved in the attack. Russia has denied these allegations, while Moscow is considering deploying new nuclear missiles in response to the U.S. announcement.
A joint statement by Washington and Berlin revealed that the U.S. weapons to be stationed in Germany will include SM-6 missiles, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and developmental hypersonic weapons with longer ranges than those currently deployed in Europe. Most of Russia’s missile systems have the capability to carry both conventional and nuclear warheads, and the Kremlin’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, expressed concerns about defending Kaliningrad, Russia’s heavily militarized exclave between NATO members Poland and Lithuania. Putin has long criticized the U.S. deployment of missile infrastructure in Europe, viewing it as an aggressive move against Russia.
The news of the planned stationing of new weapons in Germany was announced at a NATO summit in Washington, where allies also revealed that a new U.S. base in Poland is ready to be operational. This base, located in Ukraine’s western neighbor, will have the ability to intercept ballistic missiles. The situation has raised fears of a new arms race between Russia and the West, with the U.S. and its allies moving forward with their plans to strengthen defense capabilities in response to perceived threats from Russia. The deployment of new strike weapons by Russia and the U.S. raises concerns about the potential for increased tensions and military actions in the region.
