03:32Belgium: NATO calls on Russia to destroy missile that defy INF Treaty
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on Russia to comply with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in the next five weeks before the August 2 deadline or NATO will "respond accordingly," he said during a press conference in Brussels on Tuesday.
"Russia has until the 2nd of August to verifiably destroy its SSC8 Missiles, which violate their treaty," said Stoltenberg.
The remarks came one day before the North Atlantic Council's (NAC) Defence Ministers' two-day meeting, in which, according to Stoltenberg, the appropriate responses to Russia's actions will be discussed.
"Tomorrow we will decide on NATO's next steps in the event Russia does not comply. Our response will be defensive, measured and coordinated. We will not mirror what Russia does, we do not intend to deploy new land-based nuclear missiles in Europe. We do not want a new arms trace," said Stoltenberg.
He added that Russia's disobedience to the INF Treaty is not something new and that NATO is already responding to it. "It is part of a pattern of increased Russian investments in military capabilities close to our borders. And, therefore, NATO has already started to adapt and to respond to this pattern of Russian behaviour," warned the Secretary General.
Touching on the heightened tensions between the US and Iran, Stoltenberg said all allies have concerns about "Iran's destabilising activities in the region, its support for terrorist groups, its missile program, and also the announcement that Iran will restart the enrichment of Uranium."
03:32NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on Russia to comply with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in the next five weeks before the August 2 deadline or NATO will "respond accordingly," he said during a press conference in Brussels on Tuesday.
"Russia has until the 2nd of August to verifiably destroy its SSC8 Missiles, which violate their treaty," said Stoltenberg.
The remarks came one day before the North Atlantic Council's (NAC) Defence Ministers' two-day meeting, in which, according to Stoltenberg, the appropriate responses to Russia's actions will be discussed.
"Tomorrow we will decide on NATO's next steps in the event Russia does not comply. Our response will be defensive, measured and coordinated. We will not mirror what Russia does, we do not intend to deploy new land-based nuclear missiles in Europe. We do not want a new arms trace," said Stoltenberg.
He added that Russia's disobedience to the INF Treaty is not something new and that NATO is already responding to it. "It is part of a pattern of increased Russian investments in military capabilities close to our borders. And, therefore, NATO has already started to adapt and to respond to this pattern of Russian behaviour," warned the Secretary General.
Touching on the heightened tensions between the US and Iran, Stoltenberg said all allies have concerns about "Iran's destabilising activities in the region, its support for terrorist groups, its missile program, and also the announcement that Iran will restart the enrichment of Uranium."