Putin threatens to deploy nuclear-capable missiles if US does the same

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is known for saber-rattling, said he’ll deploy nuclear capable missiles if the United States stations hypersonic and long-range weapons in Germany. At the NATO summit in July, the U.S. and Germany announced the American military will deploy weapons capable of hitting Russian territory to Germany starting in 2026.

A joint statement from the two nations said the deployment will demonstrate the United States’ commitment to NATO and European integrated deterrence.

According to Putin, it would take 10 minutes for those missiles to reach Russia, and he is now threatening “mirror measures” if the plans come to fruition. 

“This situation recalls the events of the Cold War era, associated with the deployment of American Pershing medium-range missiles in Europe,” Putin said at a recent naval demonstration. “If the U.S. implements such plans, we will consider ourselves free from the previously imposed one-sided moratorium on the deployment of medium and shorter-range strike systems, including increasing the capabilities of our Navy’s coastal forces.” 

Putin was referring to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty signed by the United States and the Soviet Union in 1987. The U.S. pulled out of the agreement in 2019 after accusing Russia of conducting missile tests that violated its terms. 

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the American weapons would act as a necessary deterrent to prevent war. He also said the best way for Putin to prevent the missile deployment is to pull out of Ukraine. 

“Not everything can be achieved through defense,” Scholz said at a recent news conference. “You must prevent others from attacking you. I’m a determined opponent of the view that Germany needs nuclear weapons. That won’t happen with me and I view this as totally absurd. But that means we need to be in a position to have conventional means which prevent others from attacking us.”

The U.S. plans to put three different missiles in Germany.

The first missile is the SM-6, which is capable of antiair warfare, ballistic missile defense and anti-ship strikes. The U.S. will also send Tomahawk cruise missiles, which can make precision strikes from 1,000 miles away, and “developmental hypersonic weapons”