The Pentagon will not deploy Tomahawk missile systems in Germany, as agreed during Joe Bidenʼs presidency in 2024. One reason is US fears that Russia will view this as an escalation.
Politico writes about this, citing sources.
According to two European and one American official, the US representatives fear "corresponding actions by Moscow". The publicationʼs interlocutors did not specify what exactly these actions might be.
Another reason for the possible refusal to transfer missiles to Germany could be the shortage of missile systems in the United States itself, which arose due to the war with Iran.
In the first weeks of the war in the Middle East, the American army spent thousands of Tomahawk and Patriot missiles. And Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress last month that it would take “months and years” to replace the ammunition spent during the military conflict.
In early May, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he did not expect the US to deploy Tomahawk missiles in Germany because "even the Americans themselves do not have enough of them right now".
However, as Politico writes, the likely refusal to deploy the Tomahawks is particularly worrying for German officials, who are rushing to modernize their outdated Armed Forces to protect against potential Russian aggression.
German officials are exploring European alternatives that could provide long-range, precision strikes. At the same time, German defense strategists do not see drones and cheaper systems as a full-fledged replacement for Tomahawk missiles.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine, please follow us on X.