Germany Comments on Upcoming U.S. Missile Deployment

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated on Thursday that the United States will deploy long-range offensive systems in Germany on a rotational basis, and expects Berlin to develop similar weapon systems itself. Pistorius, currently participating in NATO summit events in Washington, said in an interview with Deutschlandfunk: "Since these long-range weapon systems will only be deployed in Germany on a rotational basis, it is clear that this is linked to the United States' expectations that we will invest in developing and purchasing such long-range weapons ourselves." According to him, the deployment of U.S. systems will give Germany time to develop its own weapon systems. The German Defense Minister expressed confidence that the United States will fulfill its commitment even if former President Donald Trump wins the upcoming presidential election. The Pentagon announced on Wednesday that the U.S. will begin deploying its long-range weapons, including hypersonic missiles, in Germany in 2026. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov confirmed that the decision by Washington and Berlin to deploy long-range missiles in Germany aims to harm Russia's security, noting that Moscow will determine its military response "calmly and professionally."