Putin Warns NATO Missile Shield Is Threat to Peace in Europe
Source: Bloomberg
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that NATO’s missile-defense shield in Romania and Poland is threatening peace in Europe and said a new arms race may emerge between his country and its Cold War foe.
Poland broke ground on the northern wing of the anti-ballistic missile shield Friday, a day after Romania inaugurated rocket batteries to the south. The two complexes have fueled antipathy between the alliance and Russia, which are in the deepest confrontation since the collapse of Communism after the Kremlin annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.
“Now after the placement of these missile defense elements, we have to think how to neutralize the threats for the security of the Russian Federation,” Putin said at a meeting with defense officials in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi. “The people who are making such decisions should know that until now they have lived in calm, comfort and security.”
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is consolidating its presence in eastern Europe after Russia forcibly changed borders in the region and because it continues to intimidate its neighbors, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in Romania on Thursday. Putin said NATO’s missile defense bases and increased troop presence were “extra steps” toward a “shakeup of the international security system” and “a news arms race” in which he said Russia wouldn’t take part.
Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-05-13/poland-to-break-ground-on-missile-shield-site-as-russia-fumes
Putin: Russia Will Consider Tackling NATO Missile Defense Threat
Russia is being forced to look for ways to neutralize threats to its national security due to deployment of the NATO anti-missile shield in Europe, Russian President Vladimir Putin said after the alliance launched a missile defense site in Romania.
“Now, after the deployment of those anti-missile system elements, we’ll be forced to think about neutralizing developing threats to Russia’s security,” Putin said.
The US missile shield in Europe is a clear violation of Russian-American arms treaties, Putin said at a meeting with Russian military officials, adding that the anti-missile facilities can be easily repurposed for firing short and midrange missiles.
The US anti-missile shield in Europe is yet another step in increasing international tensions and launching a new arms race, he stressed.
"We're not going to be dragged into this race. We’ll go our own way. We’ll work very accurately without exceeding the plans to finance the re-equipment of our Army and Navy, which have already been laid out for the next several years,” Putin said.
"Recent developments indicate that the situation isn’t getting better. Unfortunately, it’s deteriorating. I’m talking about the launch of the radar station in Romania as one of the elements of the up-and-coming US anti-missile defense program,” Putin said.
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