The Kremlin warned that the deployment of US missiles in Germany would make European capitals targets for Russian missiles. Moscow said this would be a repeat of Cold War-style confrontation.
The spokesman of the Kremlin, Dimtry Peskov, spoke of a “paradox” in which, “Europe is the target of our missiles, our country is the target of American missiles in Europe”.
“We have sufficient capacity to withstand these missiles, but the potential victims are the capitals of these countries,” he told Russian state television, Russia 1.
Peskov hinted that such a confrontation would undermine Europe as a whole.
“Europe is not going through its best period. In another configuration, the repetition of history is inevitable,” he said, when Russia 1 journalist Pavel Zarubin said that the Cold War had ended with the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The White House announced on Wednesday during the NATO summit that it will periodically deploy long-range weapons, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, to Germany from 2026 as part of a deterrence strategy.
“Exercising these advanced capabilities will demonstrate US commitment to NATO and alliance contributors to the European Integrated Deterrence Strategy,” the White House said.
The Kremlin has criticized the US decision to deploy weapons in Germany, accusing Washington of taking a step towards a new Cold War and of direct participation in the conflict in Ukraine.
The Russian Defense Ministry said a day ago that Defense Minister Andrei Selousov had a telephone conversation with his American counterpart, Lloyd Austin, and the two officials discussed reducing the risk of “a possible escalation”.
NATO states have strengthened their defense in Europe after Russia launched the invasion of Ukraine in 2022./REL/
