Russia will respond appropriately and swiftly if the US withdraws from the INF Treaty.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia would be forced to target Europe if those countries agreed to allow the US to deploy nuclear missiles there.
|
Russian President Putin (right) and |
Speaking at a press conference after talks with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on October 24, President Putin said he wanted to discuss with US President Donald Trump the plan to withdraw the US from the INF Treaty, which Putin considered a dangerous move.
President Putin emphasized that Russia would respond appropriately and swiftly if the US withdrew from the INF Treaty, and would target European countries if they agreed to allow the US to deploy nuclear missiles there.
Putin said he didn't understand why it was necessary to put Europe in such danger, and that this was something Russia wanted to avoid if possible. He also expressed concern that the world could slide into an arms race while the fate of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (NEW START) between Russia and the US remains uncertain. This agreement is set to expire in 2021.
Earlier, at a meeting with President Putin on October 23, US National Security Advisor John Bolton stated that the US would proceed with its plan to withdraw from the INF Treaty.
