Key Takeaways
- The United States has approved the sale of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Germany.
- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced the approval at a NATO meeting in Ankara.
- Germany plans to develop its own European systems alongside purchasing the Tomahawk missiles.
The United States has given final approval for the sale of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Germany, according to Chancellor Friedrich Merz. This decision comes after previous doubts over a planned deployment and follows negotiations between German and US officials.
In a statement to parliament, Merz highlighted that the agreement was reached during a NATO meeting in Ankara. He stated, “On the sidelines of the NATO meeting in Ankara, we agreed with the American government that American Tomahawk missiles will be purchased by us and stationed in Germany.”
The approval is seen as a significant step towards closing an important strategic gap in German defences, according to Merz. However, he also emphasized the commitment to developing European systems, stating, “At the same time we will work on developing our own European systems and stationing them in Europe.”
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius underscored the importance of these missiles for Germany’s NATO commitments. He noted that buying Tomahawk missiles from Washington is currently ‘the only way’ to deliver on those commitments, particularly regarding offensive capabilities needed for deterrence against potential attacks.
Pistorius added, “This applies particularly to the offensive capabilities needed for deterrence – and for responding to an attack on NATO territory, which we aim to prevent.” He also highlighted that this deal is a strong sign of transatlantic friendship and trusting cooperation between the two nations.
Berlin views the deployment of long-range cruise missiles as crucial for its deterrence strategy against Russia. Moscow has deployed Iskander cruise missiles to Kaliningrad, posing a potential threat to European NATO countries. The approval of Tomahawk missiles is seen as a countermeasure to this strategic challenge.
The decision was reached after negotiations between Merz and US President Donald Trump, with the United States committing to granting formal approval for the sale by August. However, the number of missiles acquired remains classified.
In related news, Germany plans to contribute roughly half of the cost of a joint project among 12 European NATO allies to develop new long-range precision strike weapons over the next decade. The project includes developing long-range cruise missiles and hypersonic glide vehicles, as well as procuring off-the-shelf long-range drones.
The announcement comes after months of uncertainty over whether the US would station the Tomahawk missiles in Germany. In May, Merz suggested that a planned deployment was being called off due to depleted arsenals from wars in Iran and Ukraine. The decision also followed a diplomatic spat between Merz and Trump over the war in Iran.
On the sidelines of the NATO meeting in Ankara, we agreed with the American government that American Tomahawk missiles will be purchased by us and stationed in Germany.
Friedrich Merz, German Chancellor
This applies particularly to the offensive capabilities needed for deterrence – and for responding to an attack on NATO territory, which we aim to prevent.
Boris Pistorius, German Defence Minister
