German Defence Ministry: No Final Cancellation of US Weapons Deployment Plans
US Weapons Deployment and Military Presence in Germany
Background of US Weapons Deployment Plans
BERLIN, May 4 (Reuters) - The German defence ministry said on Monday that there had been no "definitive cancellation" by the United States of a plan devised under former president Joe Biden to deploy a battalion with long-range Tomahawk missiles to Germany.
Recent Announcements and Interpretations
The comment comes after Washington announced last week that it would reduce its military presence in Germany by 5,000 soldiers, which was widely interpreted to include cancellation of the planned deployment of weapons.
Official Statement from the German Defence Ministry
"We're not talking about a definitive cancellation," the defence ministry spokesperson said, adding that the weapons were "meant to be stationed (in Germany) and may well still be."
European Response and Future Plans
He said that in any case, there were already plans underway by European nations to procure weapons systems that would fill the gap.
Context of US-Germany Military Relations
Pentagon Announcement and Geopolitical Tensions
The Pentagon announced the drawdown from Germany, its largest European base, on Friday, as a rift over the Iran war and tariff tensions placed further strain on relations between the U.S. and Europe.
Strategic Importance of Long-Range Missiles
The long-range fires had been due to form a significant extra element of deterrence against Russia while Europeans developed such long-range missiles themselves.
(Writing by Friederike Heine, Editing by Miranda Murray)
