Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty....

NATO’s Stoltenberg blames Russia as US withdraws from missile treaty

The end of the INF Treaty has raised fears of a new arms race.

By JACOPO BARIGAZZI

Russia is to blame for the demise of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday after the United States formally withdrew from the missile accord.

Yet he added that the alliance does not want a "new arms race" and would not react by deploying ground-based nuclear missiles in Europe.

Earlier this year, the U.S. announced it would quit the INF Treaty, citing repeated Russian violations of the 1987 agreement, which banned land-based missiles with short and medium ranges. Moscow suspended its participation in the treaty shortly after.

Washington said it would withdraw by August 2 unless Russia destroyed its 9M729/SSC-8 missile system, which the U.S. and NATO say violate the INF Treaty. Moscow rejects the accusation.

Speaking at a press conference, Stoltenberg said: “Today the INF Treaty ceases to exist because Russia has deployed the SSC-8 missile system. The new Russian missiles are nuclear capable, mobile and hard to detect, they can reach European cities within minutes of warning time."

He expressed regret that Russia had shown “no willingness and took no steps to comply with its international obligations” and added: “Russia bears the sole responsibility."

His comments echo a statement made by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who earlier on Friday said that “Russia is solely responsible for the treaty’s demise.”

Stoltenberg rejected a Russian request for a moratorium on the deployment of short and intermediate-range nuclear warheads in Europe, saying it is "not a credible offer" as Russia had deployed such missiles "for years."

But he tried to dampen fears that the end of the INF Treaty could lead to a new arms race — a concern for Europeans in particular, who worry that three decades after the Cold War they could yet again be caught in the middle of another conflict between the world's superpowers.

“We will not mirror what Russia does, we don't want a new arms race,” Stoltenberg said. “And we have no intention to deploy new land-based nuclear missiles in Europe.”

He stressed that while NATO allies were prepared to defend themselves, they also wanted to avoid escalation.

“NATO will respond in a measured and responsible way ... we have agreed a package of measures to ensure NATO deterrence and defense remains credible and effective,” Stoltenberg said.

He added: “But we will not rush to implementation or make any rush moves. We'll consider our options carefully."

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Thursday that with the end of the INF Treaty, "the world will lose an invaluable brake on nuclear war."