WASHINGTON, July 11. /TASS/. The US’ plan to deploy novel long-range weapons in Germany beginning in 2026 increases the possibility of an arms race and may trigger an uncontrollable escalation, Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov said.

"Essentially, this is about the US’ plans to deploy intermediate-and short-range missiles in Europe. Washington is making a serious mistake. Such highly destabilizing steps directly threaten international security and strategic stability," the diplomat said on the Russian Embassy’s Telegram channel. "The Americans are increasing the risk of a missile arms race. Here, they forget that going the way of confrontation may set off an uncontrollable escalation amid the dangerous aggravation of tensions along the Russia-NATO track," he explained.

"Instead of aspiring for peace, like Russia does, the Americans took a dangerous militarist path. There, nobody is thinking about minimizing the dangerous consequences of breaking the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. Washington has yet again displayed its insatiable need to show its own military superiority," the envoy noted.

According to the Washington-Berlin joint statement, published earlier, in 2026, the United States will begin to deploy weapons in Germany with a range exceeding that of anything currently available in Europe.