The Pentagon is likely to abandon a plan to supply Tomahawk missiles to Germany over concerns that Russia would view their deployment as an escalation, Politico reports.
The expected decision would undo an arrangement reached under the Biden administration and leave Berlin without a system that German officials consider necessary to strengthen the country’s defenses.
According to two European officials and one U.S. official, Washington fears that Moscow could retaliate if the Trump administration tries to deploy precision missiles in the heart of Europe.
The likely refusal to supply Tomahawks is causing particular concern among German officials, Politico writes. Germany is trying to accelerate the modernization of its weakened armed forces so they can serve as a deterrent against Russia.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said last month that he did not expect U.S. Tomahawk missiles to be deployed in Germany. He said this was because of the limited number of cruise missiles capable of traveling more than 1,000 miles.