Russian President Vladimir Putin has condemned the United States and Germany’s decision to deploy US long-range missiles in Germany, stating that the move is “reminiscent of the Cold War.”
The deployment, set to begin in 2026, could prompt Russia to station similar missiles in response, Putin warned during a press conference with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Moscow.
Speaking at Russia’s annual Navy Day in St. Petersburg, Putin expressed concerns over the potential reach of the US missiles, which would place Russian infrastructure within their range.
“If the United States of America implements such plans, we will consider ourselves free from the unilateral moratorium on the deployment of medium and shorter-range strike weapons, including increasing the capabilities of the coastal forces of our Navy,” Putin said.
The planned deployment includes SM-6, Tomahawk, and developmental hypersonic weapons, which offer significantly longer ranges than current land-based systems in Europe.
The US and Germany announced in a joint statement that these conventional long-range fire units would begin “episodic deployments” from the Multi-Domain Task Force in Germany starting in 2026.
Putin drew parallels to the Cold War, specifically referencing the deployment of Pershing II missiles by the US Army at American bases in West Germany in 1983, which alarmed the then-Soviet leadership.
The Pershing II missiles, designed to deliver nuclear warheads, were withdrawn following the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) in 1988.
The INF Treaty, which banned medium and shorter-range land-based ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, was seen as a cornerstone of European security.
However, the US withdrew from the treaty in 2019, accusing Russia of frequent violations. Russia followed suit, leading to fears of a renewed arms race.
In response to the potential deployment of US long-range missiles in Germany, Putin emphasized that Russia’s development of similar strike weapons is in its “final stages” and that reciprocal measures would be taken.
“This situation is reminiscent of the events of the Cold War related to the deployment of Pershing medium-range missiles in Europe,” he stated.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov previously announced a moratorium on deploying such systems, contingent on the absence of American equipment in certain region.
