Threat from Russia: According to a media report, the USA wants to station nuclear weapons in Great Britain again

US nuclear weapons were stored at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk until 2008

Photo: Alastair Grant/AP

More than 15 years ago, the USA removed its nuclear weapons stationed in Great Britain. Now, according to a report in The Telegraph newspaper, Washington is planning to station nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom again.

The reason is said to be the growing threat from Russia. According to the report, the warheads will be stationed in Suffolk, one of the last two military airfields in Britain used by the US.

The USA had already stationed nuclear missiles at the Royal Air Force Station Lakenheath in Suffolk until 2008. The weapons were withdrawn after Moscow's Cold War threat subsided.

In its reporting, "The Telegraph" relies on documents from the US Department of Defense available to the newspaper. These papers therefore contain contracts for a new facility at the air base in Great Britain.

A spokeswoman for the British Ministry of Defense is quoted in the report as saying: "It remains a long-standing policy of the United Kingdom and NATO not to confirm or deny the presence of nuclear weapons at a particular location."

The USA currently has nuclear weapons stored in five European countries as part of NATO. In addition to Germany, these are Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey. According to official information, weapons were withdrawn from Greece and Great Britain by 2008.

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