Russia Must End Ukraine War to Avoid US Missile Deployment in Germany, Says Scholz

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has stated that in order to prevent the deployment of American long-range missiles in Germany, Russia must first cease its war against Ukraine. Scholz made this statement on Wednesday, July 24, during the summer press conference in Berlin.

Earlier, on the sidelines of the NATO anniversary summit in Washington, the governments of the USA and Germany announced that the USA intends to redeploy long-range missile systems in Germany starting from 2026, some of which will have a range extending into Russia.

According to Scholz, the placement of American missiles on German territory would serve as a deterrent, ensuring that Germany does not come under attack.

He also dismissed concerns that the planned deployment of American missile weaponry could escalate relations with Russia.

Scholz believes that Germany "needs deterrent capabilities in addition to what we already have, such as cruise missiles and conventional long-range weapons."

Furthermore, the Chancellor noted that he could only express his regret "on behalf of all of NATO" regarding Russia's "blatant disregard for all arms control agreements over the past few decades."

"We all wish to live in a world where arms control matters. But right now, it's about ensuring our security through necessary deterrence to prevent war," he emphasized.

Scholz is convinced that for Russia to prevent the deployment of American missiles in Germany, it must cease its ongoing war. "The first thing Russia should have done is to stop its dreadful aggressive war against Ukraine and abandon its attempt to conquer an entire country," he said.