In brief
AfD leader Alice Weidel told The Economist that NATO did not listen to Russia's security concerns, pointing to the Aegis system at Deveselu, Romania.
Ziare.com describes the site as exclusively defensive, with 24 SM-3 interceptors that carry no explosive warheads.
Weidel put German support for Ukraine at more than 100 billion euros and called for peace negotiations to be imposed immediately.
About 500 Romanian and 250 American personnel are stationed at the Deveselu base, 170 of its 900 hectares used by US forces.
Weidel's criticism of NATO
AfD leader Alice Weidel used an interview with The Economist, given on Wednesday, 21 October, to argue that NATO has ignored Russia's security concerns. She said the Alliance had been pushed repeatedly toward Russia's border and that Moscow had raised the issue many times. Weidel pointed to the Aegis system at Deveselu, in Romania, asking why nobody had listened to Russia when missile systems capable of carrying nuclear warheads were placed near its border. She said the main mistake of the past 20 years was ignoring Russia's security concerns, and that a peace in Ukraine must weigh the security interests of Kyiv and Moscow alike. She also argued that the war should not be judged only through the events of February 2022.
Ukraine funding and calls for talks
Weidel criticised the scale of German support for Ukraine, which she put at more than 100 billion euros, and said Germany is now the main financier of Kyiv, also supplying ammunition. She argued that defence spending should be directed at strengthening Germany's own capabilities rather than Ukraine. She called for peace negotiations to be imposed immediately and said other European states were pulling back. She did not describe Russia as a threat beyond Ukraine's borders, framing foreign policy through national interest. Weidel also pointed to a deal on Russian diesel reached between US President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, and said discussions on oil and gas were under way, with Germany wanting similar arrangements to cut energy costs.
The Deveselu base
The Deveselu base, known as Military Base 99 in Olt county, Romania, hosts the Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defence system, which is operated by the US Navy. The site covers 900 hectares, of which 170 are used by US forces. About 500 Romanian military personnel and 250 American personnel are stationed there, alongside other staff. The base is subordinate to the Joint Logistics Command of the Romanian Army, and its current commander is Lieutenant Colonel Georgel Marcu.
- Total base area
- 900 hectares
- Area used by US forces
- 170 hectares
Data from the article text
- Romanian military personnel (approximate)
- 500 personnel
- American military personnel
- 250 personnel
Data from the article text
What the system does
Ziare.com describes Deveselu as an exclusively defensive system, designed to detect, track and intercept ballistic missiles. It says the shield is made up of 24 Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) interceptors that carry no explosive warheads and destroy their targets through kinetic impact, known as hit-to-kill. Against this, Weidel described the Aegis system as capable of carrying nuclear devices near Russia's border, in particular in Romania. Ziare.com says Putin, Russian officials and Kremlin propaganda have long promoted the claim that the United States installed nuclear capabilities in Romania. It recalls that in 2022, during a meeting between Putin and Viktor Orbán, Putin said Tomahawk missiles could be installed at Deveselu, systems that could strike Russian territory across thousands of kilometres.