American robots divide German politics

Published 17 August 2024 at 17.11

Foreign. A decision to station potentially nuclear-armed cruise missiles in Germany for the first time since the Cold War has sparked debate in the country.

Share the article

TwitterShare

At NATO's anniversary summit in Washington in July, the US and Germany agreed to station Tomahawk cruise missiles, SM-6 anti-aircraft missile systems and newly developed hypersonic weapons on German soil starting in 2026.

The decision, supported by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, have caused a heated debate in Germany and are expected to be brought up in the Bundestag after the parliament's summer recess.

For the first time since the Cold War, the United States would place weapons systems in Germany that can reach Russian territory.< /p>

This has aroused strong opposition within both the government and the opposition. Members of the Social Democrats (SPD) led by group leader Rolf Mützenich have expressed concern that the decision could increase tensions between the West and Russia and risk a military escalation.

Christian Democratic CDU leader Friedrich Merz has also criticized the decision, and especially since it has not been discussed in the Bundestag.

Defense Minister Pistorius has now announced that he welcomes a public debate on the subject, to ensure that the German public can have an informed opinion on the matter.