If US develops banned missiles, so will Russia: Putin
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday warned the United States that if it walks out of a key arms treaty and starts developing the type of missiles banned by it, Russia will do the same.
The latest spike in tensions came a day after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington would withdraw from a major Cold War treaty limiting mid-range nuclear arms within 60 days if Russia does not dismantle missiles that the US claims breach the deal.
Putin dismissed Pompeo’s statement as a smokescreen, saying Washington had already decided to ditch the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty (INF).
“They thought we would not notice,” the Kremlin chief said, claiming the Pentagon has already earmarked an amount for the development of missiles banned by the treaty.
“We are against the destruction of this treaty. But if this happens, we will react accordingly.”
Putin said about a dozen countries were now producing mid-range missiles of the type banned by the INF treaty.
“Apparently now American partners believe the situation has changed so much that the United States should also have such weapons.
“What will be our answer? A simple one: we will also do this,” Putin said.
‘Head off arms race’
In Brussels, EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini urged Russia and the US to save the treaty, warning that Europe did not want to become a battleield for global powers once again, as it had been during the Cold War.
“The INF has guaranteed peace and security in European territory for 30 years now,” Mogherini said as she arrived for talks with Nato foreign ministers.