Key facts
- The Pentagon may cancel the deployment of Tomahawk missiles in Germany.
- The cancellation is due to fears of provoking Russian retaliation.
- Depleted supplies of Tomahawk and other high-tech missiles are a contributing factor.
- The original plan was announced in July 2024 by then-US President Joe Biden and then-German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
- Russia previously warned that the deployment would be an escalation.
The Pentagon is reportedly set to cancel a Biden-era agreement to deploy Tomahawk cruise missiles to Germany. This decision stems from concerns that the deployment would provoke a Russian retaliation, as Russia views the missiles with a range of up to 1,600 km as an escalation. Additionally, dwindling supplies of Tomahawk and other high-tech missiles, depleted by recent conflicts, are cited as a reason for the cancellation. The original plan, announced in July 2024 by then-US President Joe Biden and then-German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, envisioned 'episodic deployments' starting from 2026. Russia had previously warned of a response, including potentially deploying nuclear missiles to Kaliningrad. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed the shelving of plans, citing insufficient US missile supplies, though he insisted it was not linked to political disputes. The potential cancellation could be interpreted as part of a broader trend of the US withdrawing from NATO defense commitments.