US to reintroduce cruise missiles in Germany from 2026 Sparking Russian concerns

Starting in 2026, the US will begin periodically deploying long-range cruise missiles in Germany for the first time since the Cold War, according to a decision announced during NATO's 75th anniversary summit.

This deployment will include Tomahawk cruise missiles, SM-6 missiles, and hypersonic missiles, all of which have ranges significantly greater than current weaponry, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

This move comes after the collapse of the 1988 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which had previously prohibited such missiles. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has condemned the decision, warning of a "military response" and accusing NATO and the US of escalating tensions with Russia.

The US-German statement emphasized that this deployment will initially be temporary but may become a permanent feature of NATO’s strategy for integrated deterrence in Europe.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius explained that the US's temporary deployment aims to prompt Germany and other European countries to invest in developing and acquiring their own long-range missile capabilities to address an existing capability gap in Europe.

The INF Treaty, which had banned ground-launched missiles with ranges between 500-5,500 km, was abandoned by the US in 2019 after accusing Russia of treaty violations. Russia also withdrew from the pact in response.

Germany’s Greens party has criticized Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s decision to host these US missiles, with Green security spokeswoman Sara Nanni expressing concerns that the move could incite fear and disinformation.