Russian official: NATO Secretary General is 'cunning'
Vladimir Dzhabarov, First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council's Foreign Affairs Committee, said that Russia would respond proportionately in case medium- and short-range missiles are deployed in NATO countries in Europe.
Earlier on Friday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said after a NATO-Russia Council meeting that the alliance would respond with agreed "defensive" measures in the event of the termination of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
“If weapons of this type appear on the territory of NATO countries, we will immediately respond in kind. We will not give in to such NATO superiority,” Dzhabarov said.
According to the senator, Mr. Stoltenberg is “cunning” when he says there is still time to save the INF.
“It is true that there is still time, we have passed a law suspending the INF Treaty, not terminating it. But the ball is now in the US's court, they must take the next step, while for now they remain silent. Stoltenberg is cunning, he knows perfectly well that the United States will not come to an extension of the agreement,” he said.
Mr. Dzhabarov believes that, with such statements, the NATO Secretary General is trying to blame the Russian Federation for suspending the INF Treaty. "They want to blame Russia for everything," the senator said.
