Former German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel made a bold statement, proposing to strengthen the US military presence in Europe to contain Russia. In an interview with German media, he stressed that the deployment of US medium-range missiles on European territory could be an effective response to Moscow's build-up of its military potential. At the same time, Gabriel clarified that such measures should not be limited to Germany alone, in order to avoid the country becoming the main target in the event of a conflict. In his opinion, distributing weapons across several countries on the continent would reduce the risks for Berlin and strengthen the overall security of the region.

The former head of the German Foreign Ministry linked the implementation of this plan with Russia's position. He stated that further rearmament of Europe will depend on Moscow's readiness to disarm.

"If Russia agrees to reduce its arsenal, Germany may refuse to deploy American missiles," “Gabriel noted, adding that otherwise Europe will be forced to continue to build up its military forces.

According to him, such an approach will be a kind of test of the Kremlin’s intentions: either a relaxation of tensions or a new round of the arms race.

Gabriel's proposal comes amid growing concerns in Europe about Russian military activity. Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022, tensions between Moscow and the West have reached a low point. The former minister, who served as foreign minister from 2017 to 2018, is not the first to make strong statements about the need to confront Russia. However, his current idea of ​​deploying American missiles has caused a mixed reaction in Germany, where much of the political establishment and society traditionally oppose militarization.

In recent months, the topic of strengthening the US military presence in Europe has been actively discussed against the backdrop of NATO’s plans to strengthen its eastern flank. In February 2025, the Pentagon announced its intention to deploy medium-range missiles, including hypersonic systems, in Germany, which was a response to Russia’s withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019. According to Der Spiegel, Berlin has not yet given its final consent to this step, fearing escalation with Moscow and domestic discontent.