Trump administration denied Germany's request to purchase Tomahawk missiles - Politico
Kyiv • UNN
Trump suspended the sale of Tomahawk missiles to Germany and is withdrawing some troops. Washington is officially reducing its involvement in ensuring European security.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has suspended the sale of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Germany, which may indicate a deepening of Washington's course toward reducing military involvement in European security. This was stated in a column by former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder for Politico, reports UNN.
Details
According to the author, the decision was another step following the announced reduction of the American military presence in Europe. In particular, the U.S. has already decided to withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany, abandon the deployment of a Tomahawk missile battalion, and reduce contributions to NATO forces, including bombers, fighters, ships, and submarines.
The Pentagon explains such steps by the need to redistribute responsibility between the U.S. and European allies. At the same time, Daalder believes that the refusal to sell Tomahawks demonstrates a deeper trend.
Washington is not only refusing to deploy high-precision long-range weapon systems in Europe but is also effectively depriving allies of the opportunity to independently acquire such capabilities due to fears of Russia's reaction
The article emphasizes that Tomahawk missiles were intended to be a temporary solution to strengthen European deterrence while NATO countries develop their own long-range systems. However, due to the U.S. decision, this gap in the Alliance's defense capabilities remains unresolved.
The author also draws parallels with the Cold War period, when NATO countries feared the so-called "decoupling" of U.S. and European security. In his opinion, while such risks previously arose due to the actions of the USSR, they are now becoming a consequence of Washington's policy.
Fifty years ago, Europe feared that the U.S. might distance itself from its security. Today, this is no longer a fear, but an official political course
He adds that in the face of reduced American support, European countries are forced to build up their own defense capabilities by developing new long-range weapons systems and increasing military spending.