Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, has warned that if the United States deploys long-range missiles in Germany, Russia could also respond with missile deployment. According to reports from The Guardian and other foreign media on the 28th (local time), President Putin made this statement at a Russian Navy Day commemoration event in St. Petersburg, Russia, warning that such actions could reignite the missile crisis of the Cold War era. The U.S. and Germany revealed plans to deploy U.S. long-range missiles such as SM-6, Tomahawk, and developing hypersonic weapons to Germany starting in 2026 following a NATO summit on the 10th of last month.
President Putin stated, “If this happens, missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads can reach targets in our territory in about 10 minutes,” and said, “We will take corresponding measures considering the actions of the United States, its European allies, and other satellite countries around the world.” He further mentioned, “If the U.S. plan is implemented, we will be free from postponing the deployment of medium-range weapons, including enhancing naval capabilities,” and revealed that Russia’s relevant system development is in its final stages.
If the U.S. deploys long-range missiles in Germany, Russia will respond by deploying medium-range missiles. Although the U.S. and Russia signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) in 1987, prohibiting the development and deployment of intermediate-range missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 km, both countries engaged in mutual accusations of INF violations in 2019. The U.S. declared withdrawal from the treaty, while Russia has postponed missile development on its own.
President Putin argued that the U.S. deployment of long-range missiles in Germany is no different from when the U.S. deployed intermediate-range Pershing II missiles in Europe during the Cold War. Pershing II was deployed in West Germany in 1983, and Russia interpreted such actions as a signal that the West was preparing for a preemptive attack against the Soviet Union, leading to increased tensions.
Therefore, if the U.S. actually deploys missiles in Germany and Russia responds with missile deployment, tensions could escalate once again. According to Reuters, U.S. and Russian diplomats assess that diplomatic relations between the two countries have deteriorated more than during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, and while they verbally call for relaxation of tensions, their actions seem to be heading towards escalation.