Putin Warns of New Cold War Triggered by US Missiles in Germany

President Vladimir Putin said Russia could deploy medium and shorter-range strike weapons and increase its naval capabilities if the US goes ahead with plans to station longer-range missiles in Germany.

“If the United States implements such plans, we will consider ourselves free from the previously assumed unilateral moratorium on the deployment of medium- and shorter-range strike weapons, including increasing the capabilities of the coastal troops of our navy,” Putin said in St. Petersburg at an event for Russia’s Navy Day holiday.

Washington said this month that it would begin periodically stationing conventional long-range weapons, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, and “developmental hypersonic weapons” in Germany from 2026 as a deterrent. Putin said that those weapons would be able to reach important Russian state and defense infrastructure in about 10 minutes.

The US pulled out of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia in 2019 after it accused Moscow of not complying with the agreement. Putin said at the time that Washington’s withdrawal “created fundamental risks for everyone.”

The Kremlin has repeatedly threatened to use nuclear weapons since its February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Those threats have been condemned by the US and its North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies.

Germany’s defense minister has characterized the US plans as having been forged by Russia’s placement of Iskander ballistic missiles in Kaliningrad, its exclave wedged between Poland and Lithuania.

“What the United States will do in Germany from 2026 is nothing else but a response to Russia’s threat,” Boris Pistorius told the Luxembourg-based Tageblatt newspaper this month.

Putin said the situation, along with the transfer of Typhon intermediate-range missile systems from the US to Denmark and the Philippines, was reminiscent of the Cold War. China has also issued a warning to Manila on the topic, warning of a regional “arms race.”