Russia can counter US missile deployments in Europe, Kremlin says

According to Reuters, European countries would be putting themselves at risk if they accept deployments of long-range U.S. missiles, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a video published on Saturday.

Asked by Russian state TV reporter PavelZarubin about the possibility of the United States deploying hypersonic missiles to Europe, Peskov said: "We have enough potential to deter these missiles. But the capitals of these (European) states are potential victims."

Peskov noted that throughout the Cold War, American missiles based in Europe were aimed at Russia, with Russian missiles aimed at Europe in return, making the continent's countries the chief victim of any potential conflict.

He said: "Europe is now coming apart at the seams. This is not the best time for Europe. Therefore, in one way or another, history will repeat itself"

The sharp comments came a day after the United States and Germany, on the sidelines of this week’s NATO summit in Washington, announced that the U.S. military would begin positioning SM-6 and Tomahawk cruise missiles, along with what officials described as “developmental hypersonic weapons,” in Germany in 2026, significantly increasing the reach of land-based missiles in Europe.

The planned missile deployment was one of a number of announcements unveiled by NATO leaders at the summit, which marked the 75th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, designed to bolster the security of the alliance and its partners, including Ukraine. Alliance leaders also pledged to have donated F-16s flying in the skies over Ukraine by this summer and other measures to strengthen Kyiv’s fight against Russian forces, now in its third year.