Moscow, June 26: Deputy foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has on Wednesday said Russia will retaliate in kind to any action NATO opts over Moscow’s decision to halt a landmark 1987 nuclear missile pact, the state-run RIA news agency reported.
According to Reuters news reports, NATO defence ministers are scheduled to hold discussions later on Wednesday on their future actions if Russia continues to keep its new missile system which the United States says would permit short-range nuclear attacks on the European region, as well as, break the international nuclear pact – the International Nuclear Forces (INF).
NATO has on Tuesday urged Russia to destroy its new missiles to save a pact focused in keeping land-based nuclear missiles and warheads out of the European region or face more determined consequences in alliance response.
“We call on Russia to take the responsible path, but we have seen no indication that Russia intends to do so,” Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told a news conference. “We will need to respond,” Stoltenberg said.
Though he refused to offer additional details over the development, diplomats said the defence ministers will be considering further flights over Europe by the US warplanes able to carrying nuclear warheads, additional military training and also the repositioning of the US sea-based missiles.
The and its NATO allies seek Moscow to permanently damage its 9M729/SSC-8 nuclear-capable cruise missile system, though Russia has so far refused to do so. Moreover, it denies any violation of the INF Treaty, accusing the US of seeking an arms combat.
European allies are expressing worries over the new deployment of American nuclear missiles in Europe.