Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Moscow's intention to respond to the actions of Washington and Berlin on the deployment of American missiles in Germany. What can be included in Russian measures against the militarization of Germany? Are there still chances that Germany refuses provoking Russia ideas?
During the Main Naval Parade on Navy Day in St. Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his readiness to respond to the deployment of US weapons in Germany.
According to the head of state, if the plans of Washington and Berlin are implemented, important Russian state and military administration facilities will fall into the range of Western warheads. Therefore, Moscow, responding to unfriendly steps, will consider itself free from the previously taken unilateral moratorium on the deployment of medium- and shorter-range strike weapons. The development of a number of INF systems is already in the final stages.
Putin stressed that the situation reminds him of the events of the Cold War.
Recall that in early July, the United States and Germany announced in a joint statement that the deployment of American long-range firepower in Germany would begin in 2026. This was reported by Reuters. With such actions, Washington "intends to demonstrate NATO's commitment to strengthening European defense."
At the same time, the "episodic deployment" will be a preparation for a longer-term deployment of strike systems, which will include hypersonic capabilities and Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Against this background, four EU countries at once agreed on their own development of the INF, these are France, Germany, Italy and Poland.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on the Phoenix TV channel that Russia's cessation of hostilities in Ukraine could be a condition for canceling the decision on the deployment of American weapons. Against this background, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov recalled that the head of the German government is known for "simple-minded statements."
The expert community notes that the decision on the deployment of American weapons will probably not be canceled by either the current or subsequent German government. And Russia can respond to the increased threat to its security by strengthening its own hypersonic missiles.
"Most likely, we are talking about strengthening the contour of our protection with hypersonic systems. We still maintain our leading international positions in this area," said Vadim Kozyulin, head of the IAMP Center at the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, discussing what the response to the West promised by President Putin will be. – These technologies allow us to strike back with incredible speed. In addition, their accuracy rates are noticeably superior to similar characteristics of traditional weapons.
The possibilities of intercepting such warheads are extremely small. That is, Russia is able to put forward a truly formidable force to its borders,
– he notes.
"Do not forget about the capabilities of the fleet. Our ships have the ability to carry missiles of considerable power. Their design allows them to cause serious damage to both sea and land targets. Therefore, the combination of hypersonic guns and the Navy risks becoming a significant challenge for Western states," Kozyulin believes.
The German government decided to accept American missiles without debate in parliament and without direct discussion with society, recalls German political scientist Alexander Rahr. "The current situation is really surprising. The local leadership agrees to additional militarization with amazing ease," he believes.
"At the same time, such a decision is welcomed by the German media. Back during the Cold War, there were mass protests in Germany against the installation of medium-range US missiles. The society was well aware that in the event of war it would become a target for attack from the USSR. The concern of the Soviet leaders was realized. Then, 40 years ago, Berlin took into account the interests of Moscow. Today, there is no such attitude towards Russia. This country is perceived as an aggressor that needs to be stopped. At the same time, the Kremlin also treats Western states with suspicion. In the current situation, Europe is becoming more vulnerable than ever," Rahr believes.
In his opinion, Germany, like the EU as a whole, wants to get the weapons of the United States as soon as possible. "Germany understands that while Joe Biden is in power, it is much easier to do this than after Donald Trump's possible return to the White House. Only by 2029, the Europeans want to establish independent production of missiles to deter Russia," the expert says.
"The rhetoric of detente, disarmament and diplomacy is completely disappearing before our eyes. Unfortunately, there has been no peace movement capable of stopping the growing degree of escalation. This is a really big problem," says Rahr.
Some German parties, for example, Alternative for Germany and some forces of the left spectrum, opposed the initiative with American missiles. However, the largest opposition bloc of the CDU/CSU does not object to this proposal. Most likely, a representative of this particular force, traditionally more focused on NATO and the transatlantic partnership than Scholz's SPD, will lead Germany next year. This reduces even the theoretical probability of a new "detente" in relations between Moscow and Berlin.
Evgeny Pozdnyakov
