René Obermann, the head of the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, has called on European countries to equip themselves with tactical nuclear weapons. His statement came in response to the threat posed by Russia’s Iskander missiles, which are capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
According to Obermann, Russia is openly threatening Europe with its Iskander missiles deployed in Kaliningrad, Reuters reports.
“Our Achilles’ heel, it seems, is what Russia is quite openly threatening us with: more than 500 tactical nuclear warheads on Iskander missiles, stationed right on our doorstep in Kaliningrad, as well as those recently deployed in Belarus,” Obermann said on Wednesday, November 19, speaking at the Berlin Security Conference.
In September, Russia deployed Iskander-M systems in the Kaliningrad region, aiming them toward Warsaw. The Airbus chief noted that Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and other concerned states should develop a joint nuclear deterrence program against Russia.