Russian President Vladimir Putin made a statement about additional steps to de-escalate the situation in Europe under the terms of termination of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty).
"The INF Treaty was an important element of the architecture to ensure international security and strategic stability. The Treaty played a special role in terms of maintaining predictability and restraint in the missile sphere in the European space," the document distributed by the Kremlin's press service reads.
Last year, the USA unilaterally withdrew from the INF Treaty accusing Russia of its violation. Moscow rejected all accusations and was ready to demonstrate the missile that caused the questions, but Washington did not go for it.
Putin called the termination of the agreement a mistake that "increases the risks of unleashing the missile arms race, growth of confrontational potential and rolling back to uncontrolled escalation.
The head of state noted that new threats to Europe's security are evident due to tensions along the Russia-NATO line.
"Under these conditions, active efforts are needed to reduce the confidence deficit, strengthen regional and global stability, and reduce risks arising from misunderstandings and disagreements in the field of missile weapons," he stressed.
Proposals
The President proposed to develop tools that would reduce tension and "concern".
"In particular, we could talk about verification measures for Aegis Ashor complexes with Mk-41 launchers at the US and NATO bases in Europe, as well as 9M729 missiles at the RF Armed Forces facilities in the Kaliningrad region," the statement said.
It was stressed that all actions should be based on the principles of reciprocity: Moscow is ready to refuse to deploy 9M729 missiles to the European part of Russia but on condition of similar steps by NATO.
"We reaffirm Russia's commitment to a moratorium on land-based missile deployments until similar US-made missiles appear in the respective regions," Putin said, adding that Russia continues to count on a counterstatement moratorium.
In conclusion, he emphasized once again that Moscow is open for joint work and expressed hope that its partners would join the search for "schemes to maintain stability and prevent missile crises in a world without the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty".
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from RIA Novosti