Germany is once again trying to buy Tomahawk missiles from US, — FT
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius plans to visit Washington to persuade the U.S. to approve the sale of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, following the Pentagon's decision to abandon plans to station an American battalion equipped with these weapons in Germany.
According to Censor.NET, citing a report by Ukrinform, this was reported by the Financial Times.
What is known
Sources told the publication that the German government hopes to persuade the Trump administration to approve the sale of Tomahawk cruise missiles along with Typhon ground-based launchers. To advance this issue, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius plans to travel to Washington.
It is noted that Germany first approached the United States with a proposal to purchase long-range systems in July of last year, but Washington has not yet responded.
The Relationship Between Trump and Merz
According to sources, Pistorius’s visit will depend on whether a meeting can be arranged with Pentagon chief Pete Hagsett. This, it is noted, is not guaranteed given the deteriorating relations between Trump and Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the war in Iran.
"The key is to have strike capabilities in Europe," emphasized one of the sources in the German government.
In addition, another source suggested that Berlin might agree to pay a premium to secure the purchase agreement.
At the same time, it is noted that Japan and the Netherlands are already awaiting delivery of the Tomahawk missiles they have ordered.
What happened before?
- Earlier, Donald Trump announced his intention to reduce the U.S. military presence in Germany, noting that the actual scale of the changes could be greater than the previously announced figures.
- The Pentagon has confirmed plans to withdraw approximately 5,000 troops over the course of the year. At the same time, the U.S. president has hinted at a further review of the global deployment of U.S. troops in Europe.
