US halts Tomahawk missile deal with Germany amid Russia concerns — Politico
Photo: The US has denied Berlin's request to purchase Tomahawk missiles (navy mil)
The Pentagon has blocked the sale of long-range Tomahawk missiles to Berlin. This decision could spell the end of a security system that has been in place in Europe for nearly 80 years, according to Politico.
Background
The refusal to sell missiles to Germany was not the first step the US had taken in this direction. Previously, Washington had already:
- Withdrawn 5,000 troops from Germany
- Suspended the deployment of an American battalion equipped with Tomahawk missiles
- Reduced its planned contribution of bombers, fighter jets, destroyers, and submarines to NATO.
The Pentagon explains these steps as a desire to restore the balance of contributions between Europe and the US to the continent’s defense.
Why this is concerning
The decision regarding the Tomahawks points to a deeper problem. Washington is not simply reducing its own military presence in Europe; it is denying allies the opportunity to acquire high-precision weapons themselves, fearing a reaction from Russia.
The US is attempting to separate its own security from that of Europe.
In 2019, President Donald Trump’s first administration withdrew from this treaty due to Russia’s violations of its terms. After that, NATO countries began discussing the deployment of their own long-range missiles.
The Tomahawks were supposed to be a temporary solution until European countries developed their own systems. Now this gap has reopened.
For several weeks, the Trump administration has complained that NATO has not sufficiently supported the US and Israel’s war against Iran.
European countries are already increasing defense spending and developing their own long-range strike capabilities, some of which have dual conventional and nuclear capabilities. These will be sovereign systems, and the US will have no say in their use.
This rift does not mean that Europe will be left defenseless. But the security of Europe and the United States will no longer be viewed as a single entity, the agency writes.
Meanwhile, Europeans’ trust in the US has plummeted. The level of trust among European citizens toward Washington has dropped to a critical low.
At the same time, discussions on military aid to Ukraine are ongoing. A US Senate committee has approved a new aid package.
