At a recent meeting with representatives of the media, Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized that if the United States of America decided that the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles was outdated, the United States decided that they could have a weapon that prohibits this agreement, then Russia will do the same.
Recall the first clear step towards the escalation of US relations made in 2002. It was then that their country withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, and unilaterally. By the way, at that moment this particular agreement was considered the main document guaranteeing international nuclear safety. But apparently, the US government was not enough of these demarches. After 18 years, they now decided in the same way to leave the INF Treaty.
It is noteworthy that Vladimir Putin made it clear that short-range and medium-range ground-based missiles are not made only in Russia and the United States. In a number of other countries that have mastered their own nuclear programs, there are more than a dozen such weapons. And Russia and the United States limit themselves on this.
- Apparently, our American partners believe that the situation has changed so much that the United States should also have such weapons. What is the answer from our side? Yes, it's simple: we will do it, too, ”RIA Novosti quotes the head of Russia.
