FT: The US Is Preparing A Major Expansion Of Its Nuclear Arsenal In Europe
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Compensation for troop reductions?
The states are negotiating the possibility of deploying additional nuclear weapons stockpiles on the territory of Europe. In this way, Washington seeks to confirm security guarantees for allies who are worried about a potential withdrawal of troops from the continent.
The Financial Times reports this, citing its own sources.
American officials have expressed willingness to go beyond the current format and deploy additional warheads in new countries. Now, under the Nuclear Sharing program, the US arsenal is already deployed in Germany, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey, while the UK also has its own base.
The FT reports that the new initiative will allow more European countries to receive US dual-capable aircraft (DCA) capable of both carrying conventional missiles and carrying nuclear strikes. The states on NATO's eastern flank, located directly near Russia's borders, are most interested in the program. They are actively demanding the deployment of DCA aircraft on their territory - in particular, this request was officially articulated earlier by former President Andrzej Duda on the part of Poland.