THE US has delivered a stern warning to Russia over cruise missiles which could allow Moscow to launch a nuclear strike on Europe.
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| Kay Bailey Hutchison says the US was prepared to consider a military strike if development of the medium-range system continued. Picture: |
RUSSIA must halt its covert development of a banned cruise missile system or the United States will seek to destroy it before it becomes operational, Washington’s envoy to NATO has warned.
The US believes Russia is developing a ground-launched system in breach of a Cold War treaty that could allow Russia to launch a nuclear strike on Europe at short notice, but Moscow has consistently denied any such violation.
US Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison said Washington remained committed to a diplomatic solution but was prepared to consider a military strike if development of the medium-range system continued.
“At that point, we would be looking at the capability to take out a (Russian) missile that could hit any of our countries,” Hutchison said during a news conference.
“Counter measures (by the US) would be to take out the missiles that are in development by Russia in violation of the treaty,” she added. “They are on notice.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry responded saying such statements were dangerous, and that it would provide detailed answers to Washington at a later date.
“It seems that people who make such statements do not realise the level of their responsibility and the danger of aggressive rhetoric,” TASS news agency quoted spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying.
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| Russian high ranking military officials look into an opened silo of an intercontinental ballistic Topol-M missile somewhere at an undisclosed location in Russia in this 2001 file photo |
In the past, the ministry has said it was ready for talks with the US to try to preserve the treaty and would comply with its obligations if both parties could agree.
The comments by Hutchison, who was appointed to the NATO post by President Donald Trump, are the most direct warning of a pre-emptive strike since a US official said in 2017 the US would consider its own system if Russia continued to violate the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
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| Two missiles fly over a training ground in Eastern Siberia |
The treaty bans medium-range missiles capable of hitting Europe or Alaska.
The US and Russia celebrated the 30th anniversary of the treaty in Geneva in 2017.
The US accusations are likely to further strain relations between Moscow and the west that are at a low over Russia’s 2014 seizure of Crimea, its bombing campaign in Syria and accusations of meddling in Western elections.
“We have been trying to send a message to Russia for several years that we know they are violating the treaty, we have shown Russia the evidence that we have that they are violating the treaty,” Hutchison said.
“We are laying down the markers so that our allies will help us bring Russia to the table.”
US Secretary of Defence Jim Mattis said he would discuss the issue with his NATO counterparts at a scheduled two-day meeting in Brussels from today.
“I cannot forecast where it will go, it is a decision for the president, but I can tell you that both on Capitol Hill and in State Department, there is a lot of concern about this situation and I’ll return with the advice of our allies and engage in that discussion to determine the way ahead,” he told reporters in Paris.
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