The CDU has called for the development of a joint alternative to Tomahawk missiles with Ukraine
Roderich Kiesewetter, a defence expert for the German Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has called for the development of joint Ukrainian-European missile systems. He made this statement on 4 May during an appearance on the ARD television programme *Morgenmagazin*.
Commenting on the US refusal to deploy Tomahawk cruise missiles in Germany, Kiesewetter called this decision a “huge mistake”. According to him, the absence of American medium-range weapons affects Europe’s ability to counter the nuclear threat from Russia.
He proposed, as an alternative, developing our own systems in cooperation with Ukraine. “The solution lies in developing something similar jointly with Ukraine, so that such systems are already in place by 2030,” said Kisevetter.
In his view, the decision not to deploy missiles in Germany poses a more serious challenge than a possible reduction in US military personnel. He also stated that such a stance could send a signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kiesewetter noted that Russia had already violated the treaty on the limitation of intermediate- and short-range missiles back in 2017.
Security expert Nico Lange also spoke in favour of developing European long-range weapons independent of the US. In a comment for the Süddeutsche Zeitung, he recalled that Russia has deployed Iskander missile systems in the Kaliningrad region since 2018.
According to Lange, the absence of American missiles in Germany exacerbates the deterrence deficit. “If the deployment of American missiles does not go ahead, we will be left with a gap in our defences. Thanks to its missiles in Kaliningrad, Russia has a potential advantage over us, and we could end up in a situation where we are manipulated through blackmail,” he said.
At the same time, Lange did not mention the possibility of establishing such systems in cooperation with Ukraine.
