Pistorius wants an open debate on US weapons in Germany
The USA could deploy intermediate-range weapons in Germany by 2026, capable of reaching Russia. Defense Minister Pistorius welcomes the plan but wants an open debate. Opposition comes promptly - from his own party.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has shown openness to a debate on the planned deployment of long-range US weapons in Germany. "It's important for us as a society to weigh all arguments and find a stance that we can all live with," the SPD politician told the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" (FAZ).
"We need this public debate to highlight the gravity of the situation: On the one hand, we're facing a new security threat in Europe due to Russia's aggressive behavior, on the other hand, we have a capability gap that we can only bridge in the short term with the help of our US allies until we develop these weapons ourselves," said Pistorius.
At the margins of a NATO summit in Washington, the US and German governments announced that the USA plans to deploy intermediate-range weapons with conventional warheads in Germany from 2026, capable of reaching deep into Russia. These include cruise missiles of the Tomahawk type with a range of up to 2,500 kilometers, SM-6 missiles, and newly developed hypersonic weapons.
Criticism from the SPD
Pistorius has also been criticized from within his own party. SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich warned of the risk of military escalation. SPD MP Ralf Stegner spoke out against further armament. SPD left-wingers demanded that the party base be involved in the matter.
The defense minister told the FAZ that his duty is to protect people from external dangers. "And I have consistently represented this position publicly since the announcement of this project at the NATO summit in Washington and have received much support for it. That we also hold discussions behind closed doors within the faction is self-evident." Pistorius emphasized that the debate has nothing to do with "sharp opposition within the SPD."
The European Union expresses concerns over the potential deployment of intermediate-range weapons by the USA in Germany, as it could escalate tensions with Russia. Opponents within Pistorius' own party in the SPD argue that such a deployment could lead to an increase in military activities in Europe.
