Lavrov: Russia reserves the right to respond if the US deploys missiles banned under the INF
Moscow reserves the right to respond in case the United States, after leaving the INF Treaty, begins to deploy missiles banned under the agreement in regions around the world, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Photo: Sputnik |
"President Putin stressed that if the United States withdraws from this treaty and, with a free hand, starts deploying missiles prohibited by the treaty somewhere in the world, then wherever American-made missiles appear... we reserve the right to do the same, so that our missiles also appear in the same region," he said at a press conference with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Previously, US President Donald Trump said on February 2 that Washington began procedures to withdraw from the INF.
On February 2, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the Russian Federation will respond appropriately to the US decision to withdraw from the INF Treaty and also suspend its participation in the treaty.
The head of state of Russia noted that Russia should not and will not be drawn into an arms race that is costly for Moscow.
At the same time, Mr. Putin added that all the proposals of the Russian Federation on disarmament "remain on the negotiating table and the doors remain open," but he asked not to initiate any negotiations on this issue from now on.