The United States has officially approved the sale of long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Germany, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said. According to him, the relevant agreement was reached on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, AFP reports.

“We agreed with the US government on the purchase of Tomahawk missiles and their deployment in Germany,” Merz said, stressing that this would help “close an important strategic gap” in the country’s defense.

According to the German government, the US and German defense ministers have already signed a letter of intent. Washington has pledged to issue final approval for the delivery of the missiles and Typhon ground launchers by August. The number of missiles to be purchased has not been disclosed.

Tomahawks are capable of striking targets at distances of more than 1,600 kilometers. These missiles are usually launched from ships and submarines, but Germany will also receive ground-based launchers.

Berlin sees the deployment of long-range cruise missiles as an important element of its strategy to deter Russia. German authorities note that there are currently no European equivalents to the Tomahawk with comparable range and capabilities, which is why NATO’s European countries remain dependent on American weapons.

At the same time, Germany intends to participate in the creation of its own European system of long-range precision weapons. A day earlier, the United Kingdom announced that 12 European NATO countries, including Germany, would invest about $50 billion in the development of such weapons over the next decade. According to the German side, Berlin plans to finance about half of that amount.

As recently as May, Friedrich Merz had suggested that plans to deploy Tomahawks in Germany could be canceled because of reduced US weapons stockpiles amid the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. However, the parties have now confirmed that the deal will go ahead.