Berlin has the necessary capabilities and materials to develop an atomic bomb in a matter of months, Rafael Grossi has said
Germany could develop its own nuclear weapons within months if it chose to do so, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has said. In an interview with Polish outlet Reczpospolita published on Wednesday, Grossi stated that Berlin already possesses the necessary nuclear material, know-how, and access to technology.
According to Grossi, Germany could build a nuclear bomb in “a matter of months,” although the IAEA chief stressed that “these are purely hypothetical assumptions” and that European countries continue to affirm their commitment to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
“No state, especially a powerful one, is guided by altruism,” Grossi stated, adding that European governments have determined that a world where nuclear weapons are widely accessible would be “catastrophic.”
While the IAEA chief highlighted the need for international dialogue on nuclear security and the importance of upholding non-proliferation commitments, his statements follow recent US and Israeli airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The attacks were carried out under the pretext of preventing Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, which has been denied by both the IAEA and US intelligence.
Following the airstrikes, Iran suspended cooperation with the IAEA and expelled its inspectors. President Masoud Pezeshkian criticized the agency for not condemning the attacks, describing its silence as “unacceptable” and accusing the agency of bias.
Grossi’s remarks come amid a broader militarization drive among European NATO members and calls from senior German officials, including Jens Spahn, head of the CDU/SU bloc in the Bundestag, who recently argued that US nuclear weapons based in Germany are no longer enough to deter the alleged threat from Russia. He called for Germany to gain access to UK or French nuclear arsenals or join a broader European deterrent, arguing that reliance on US arms is no longer sufficient. Spahn also raised the idea of an “independent European nuclear umbrella,” claiming that it would only work if Germany had access to its management.
Moscow has repeatedly denied that it poses any threat to European NATO members, accusing Western officials of using fear to justify budget increases, as well as the decline in the standard of living among their citizens.
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