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No decision yet on where to station US missiles, says German defense chief

Boris Pistorius added that the German leadership "will make everything possible to prevent an escalation of tensions"

BRUSSELS, July 18. /TASS/. The German authorities have not yet decided where to station the US missiles that will be deployed to the country in 2026, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in an interview with Luxembourg’s Tageblatt newspaper.

When asked where US cruise and supersonic missiles would be stationed in Germany, he said: "This has not been decided yet."

"The US is currently making preparations for the deployment of these weapons to Germany. However, I would like to make it clear: these are conventional weapons," Pistorius noted. He added that the German leadership "will make everything possible to prevent an escalation of tensions." In his view, if "it becomes clear to everyone" that Germany and NATO are capable of defending themselves, it will reduce the likelihood of an attack on them.

According to a Forsa opinion poll, 47% of Germans believe that the planned deployment of US missiles in Germany will increase the risk of a military clash between NATO and Russia. Only 17% of those surveyed said that it would enhance Germany’s security.

Washington and Berlin said in a joint statement on July 10 that the US would begin deployments of long-range fires capabilities in Germany in 2026, "which have significantly longer range than current land-based fires in Europe." Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov pointed out that such plans increased the likelihood of a missile race and could lead to uncontrolled escalation.

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