Scholz expresses opposition to nuclear arms for Germany
Date
11/13/2024 6:57:47 AM
(MENAFN) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has firmly opposed the idea of Germany becoming a nuclear power, despite defending his decision to host US medium-range ballistic missiles on German soil starting in 2026. In an interview on Sunday, Scholz addressed criticism of his approval of the missile deployment, which has sparked controversy within Germany, including from members of his own Social Democratic Party (SPD).
Scholz clarified that his party largely supports his defense strategy, which aims to ensure national security and prevent attacks. He emphasized that Germany, along with France and the UK, plans to develop conventional, non-nuclear missiles, but acknowledged that this project will take time. In the interim, the US missile deployment serves as a necessary measure to maintain security.
When asked about the possibility of Germany needing nuclear weapons, Scholz reiterated his strong opposition, stating that he was "strictly against" Germany arming itself with nuclear weapons, and vowed to block any such efforts.
In a broader context, British Defence Secretary John Healey recently discussed a long-range missile program involving Germany, France, Poland, and other NATO countries, with the goal of developing missiles capable of striking targets more than 500 km away. Germany and the UK have also agreed to collaborate on developing advanced weapons with greater range and precision.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia would view the US missile deployment as a breach of the moratorium on medium- and short-range strike weapons, and threatened to deploy similar systems in response, including those potentially equipped with nuclear warheads.
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