Moscow, DEC 6: — President Vladimir V. Putin warned on Wednesday that Russia will respond in kind if the United States decides to develop new intermediate-range nuclear missiles. Putin accused the United States of making up excuses for pulling out of the pact.
He said, it seems the US believe that the situation has changed so much that it has to have this type of weapons.
Putin's statement, came a day after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced at a NATO meeting that, Washington will suspend its obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) in 60 days, citing Russian cheating.
The chief of staff of Russia’s military, Gen. Valery V. Gerasimov, echoed those remarks, saying that any European countries where the United States stationed intermediate-range missiles, such as Poland or Romania, would be the first targets in the event of a conflict
President Donald Trump earlier this year announced his decision to withdraw from the INF, accusing Russia and China, which is not a signatory to the treaty, of violating it.
In interview remarks, Mr. Putin took the familiar tack of complaining that the West was unfairly singling out Russia for what he called a ‘reckless decision’. First, the American side said that, it intended to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, and only then did it start looking for reasons they should do so,” Mr. Putin said.
“We do not agree with the destruction of this deal,” he said. “But if this happens, we will react accordingly.”
In the 1987 pact, widely known as the I.N.F. Treaty, Russia and the United States agreed to eliminate all ground-based nuclear and conventional missiles, as well as their launchers, with ranges of 500 to 5,500 kilometers (310 to 3,420 miles). It does not ban intermediate-range missiles launched from bombers or from the sea.
In recent years, both sides have had reason to rethink their commitment. Russia has grown uneasy as many countries along its extensive southern border, including China, India, Pakistan and Iran, began developing such weapons. None of them are signatories to the treaty.
The United States and its NATO allies have said that, Washington has abided by the treaty, while Russia violated it by developing and deploying a cruise missile system.