Germany remains steadfast in its plans despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threats to re-launch production of intermediate-range nuclear weapons if the United States deploys missiles to Europe. Foreign ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer assured that they will not be intimidated by Putin’s statements.
Washington and Berlin announced in July that episodic deployments of long-range U.S. missiles, such as Tomahawk cruise missiles, to Germany would begin in 2026, prompting Putin to issue his warning.
The Russian president declared during a naval parade in St. Petersburg that Russia will now develop and deploy intermediate-range nuclear weapons in response to U.S. actions. This move comes after both the U.S. and Russia withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019.
Despite Russia’s claims, Fischer emphasized that Germany’s response is aimed at deterring any potential threat posed by such weapons. The decades-old arms control treaty now seems a thing of the past as global tensions escalate.