Russia is forced to take countermeasures if, as announced, the US withdraws from one of the most important nuclear disarmament treaties. This could also have serious consequences for Europe, said Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The so-called INF Treaty between the United States and the then Soviet Union in 1987 forbids the construction and ownership of land-based, nuclear-armed cruise missiles and missiles with a range of 500 to 5500 kilometers.
If, after the expiry of the so-called INF Treaty, European states agreed to station US missiles on their territory, Russia would naturally have to respond accordingly, he said. "I do not understand why it is necessary to put Europe at such risk," said the Kremlin chief.
The US has long accused Russia of breaching the treaty with the development of a cruise missile called the 9M729. The US has no evidence of a breach by Russia, Putin said.