BRUSSELS, July 18. /TASS/. A decision to deploy US long-range missiles in Germany from 2026 serves as a response to the deployment of Iskander tactical missile systems in Russia’s Kaliningrad Region, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Thursday.

"What the United States will do in Germany from 2026 is nothing else but a response to Russia’s threat represented by the deployment of Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad," he claimed in an interview with the Luxembourg-based Tageblatt newspaper.

Pistorius said that Germany "has not confronted the problem of weapons deployment for 35 years." In his opinion, the presence of US missiles in Germany can be explained by the need for nuclear deterrence.

"When everyone comes to realize that Germany and NATO are capable of successfully defending themselves, this will reduce the probability of an attack on us," he added.

The US White House press office announced on July 10 that the United States would begin deploying long-range capabilities in Germany in 2026 with significantly longer range than current land-based fires in Europe. Russian Ambassador to Washington Anatoly Antonov said that the US plans increased the likelihood of a missile race and could lead to an uncontrolled escalation.