SPD foreign policy spokesman Rolf Mützenich has urged for a more robust debate concerning new diplomatic disarmament initiatives, particularly in light of proposed U.S. plans to station medium-range missiles in Germany. According to Mützenich, the focus should shift immediately to pressing for the removal of Russia’s nuclear-armed medium-range missiles stationed in Belarus and Kaliningrad, while also embedding any further measures into a broader, comprehensive arms control framework. He argued that such a shift would allow Europe to reclaim a diplomatic role historically defined by both deterrent capability and astute diplomacy.
Furthermore, the discussion includes stopping the planned deployment of ground-based medium-range weaponry in Germany, which was scheduled for 2024. These systems were slated to include Tomahawk cruise missiles, Standard Missile 6 ballistic missiles, and the Dark Eagle long-range hypersonic missile. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) had stated that such materiel was intended to close a perceived military capability gap among European NATO allies, driven by Russian missiles deployed in the Kaliningrad exclave, a location situated near Poland and Lithuania, that could potentially impact Berlin.
However, military expert Carlo Masala labeled the latest U.S. announcements as highly problematic, calling the move a “low point in German-American relations”. Masala emphasized that since Europe has no immediate counter-measures, and developing its own systems would take five to seven years, the proposed basing was crucial.
Security expert Nico Lange added that if American missiles do not arrive, Germany and Europe would need independent, European-sourced stand-off weapons capable of providing conventional deterrence. Lange highlighted a potential oversight by Angela Merkel, reminding the public that Russia’s Iskander missiles have been stationed in Kaliningrad since 2018, posing a threat. He warned that if the proposed countermeasures fail to materialize, a significant deterrence gap would persist, potentially allowing Russia undue leverage over Germany.
Challenging the alarmist outlook, Mützenich nevertheless dismissed the idea of a security gap. He argued that the short-term implications of such a gap are easily managed, given that NATO and European forces maintain air superiority over any potential Russian challenge.