President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia will respond "in kind" if the United States deploys new nuclear missiles in Europe. Speaking after talks with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, Putin said any European countries hosting such missiles would be subjecting their territory to the threat of Russian retaliatory strikes.
Putin's comments come amid rising tensions over the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, a 1987 agreement between the US and the Soviet Union that bans all land-based nuclear and non-nuclear missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometres. The US has announced plans to withdraw from the treaty, accusing Russia of violating it by developing a new medium-range missile, the Novator 9M729 (Nato designation SSC-8).
Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has backed the US position, stating that the most plausible explanation is that Russia is in breach of the INF treaty. However, he said Nato does not seek confrontation but stands ready to defend all allies. Stoltenberg also noted that the treaty is ineffective if only respected by one side.
Putin expressed concern over the potential collapse of the INF treaty, warning that it could lead to an arms race. He also highlighted that the US had already withdrawn from the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty and that the future of the New Start nuclear arms reduction treaty remains uncertain.
Thursday marks the start of Nato's largest military exercise since the Cold War, Trident Juncture, which involves all 29 member states plus Finland and Sweden. The exercise is designed to repel a mock invasion of Norway, underscoring the alliance's readiness amid the escalating rhetoric.
