Putin warns of lifting missile restrictions if US deploys similar weapons
A Ukrainian soldier reflected in a car mirror looks on as a Swedish-made Archer Howitzer operated by Ukrainian members of the 45th Artillery Brigade fires towards Russian positions, in the Donetsk region, Jan. 20, 2024. (AFP Photo)
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the United States of trying to push Moscow to its “red lines” and warned that Russia would lift its voluntary restrictions on short- and medium-range missile deployment if the U.S. deploys similar weapons.
Speaking at a meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry board in Moscow, Putin also criticized NATO nations for increasing military spending and deploying NATO troop groups near Russia’s borders.
Putin claimed that the number of U.S. servicemen in Europe has surpassed 100,000 and expressed concern over the U.S. activity in deploying high-precision land-based strike weapons with a range of up to 5,500 kilometers (3,417 miles).
He argued that the transfer and deployment of such missile systems in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region are being coordinated, noting that these actions were previously prohibited under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
The INF Treaty, signed in 1987 by the U.S. and the Soviet Union, banned the deployment of ground-based nuclear and conventional missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers. However, the U.S. withdrew from the treaty in 2019, citing Russian violations.
“We have repeatedly stated that the termination of this treaty would have negative consequences for global security, but we have also emphasized that we will not deploy intermediate- and shorter-range missiles until American weapons of this kind appear in any region of the world,” Putin said.
He added that Russia has adhered to these restrictions unilaterally but warned that if the U.S. begins to deploy such systems, Russia would lift all voluntary limitations.
