US fears Russia's wrath

The US fears Moscow will retaliate if the White House goes ahead with the previous Joe Biden administration's plans to deploy the missiles in Germany. However, canceling this agreement would leave Berlin without defense capabilities that German leaders consider urgently needed, Politico reports.

Beyond fear of the Kremlin's reaction, US officials are concerned about the depletion of their own weapons arsenals. The US used thousands of Tomahawk and Patriot missiles in the first weeks of the war with Iran. Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth told Congress in May that it would take months and years to replenish these stockpiles.

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This move is part of a broader reduction in the US military presence in NATO, which also includes the withdrawal of thousands of American troops from Germany. Furthermore, according to the German publication WELT, the US plans to reduce the number of its fighter jets, drones, and naval units in Europe.

Russia has long deployed Iskander missiles, capable of carrying nuclear warheads, in the Kaliningrad region. Russia has also deployed Oreshnik medium-range missiles in Belarus, which are capable of reaching any point in Europe in minutes.

German officials are currently seeking European alternatives to fill the gap in long-range precision strike capabilities. Berlin is discussing the possibility of purchasing off-the-shelf systems, expanding joint production with partners, or developing long-term European developments.

German military planners note that drones or cheaper systems may be useful, but they are not an equivalent replacement for Tomahawk-class missiles.

Photo: U.S. Navyderivative.

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