Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that the US decision to scrap the Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty threatens to launch a new arms race, saying Russia intends to follow through with development of new intermediate missiles, and tactical nuclear devices.
Putin did hold out hope for preventing such a rush to arms spending, however, saying that the Russian Federation would not deploy the new missiles unless the US deploys them first.
Indications are that the US fully intends to deploy first, though. The Pentagon has already started developing its own missiles since scrapping the treaty, and officials have openly talked of deploying them, particularly in Asia.
Putin expressed concern about this, particularly if the US were to deploy missiles to Japan or South Korea. There has been no confirmation of any nation agreeing to host the US arms, but South Korea would be particularly problematic given ongoing talks of denuclearization of the peninsula.
Putin added that in a recent call with Trump, he offered to sell the US hypersonic missiles as an alternative to the US developing them for themselves, though Trump apparently rejected the idea.
‘The Pentagon has already started developing its own missiles since scrapping the treaty,’ – No, they started developing them way before scrapping the treaty.
“Putin added that in a recent call with Trump, he offered to sell the US hypersonic missiles as an alternative to the US developing them for themselves, though Trump apparently rejected the idea.”
Putin should have told Trump if he didn’t buy them he had an interested buyer in Iran.
The difference this time is quality over quantity and Russia doesn’t have all those satellite countries as dead weight to drain their resources.
This has more to do with China it does Russia.
I really doubt Putin seriously thought the US would buy military hardware from Russia – especially strategic missiles. I suspect that was just a talking point to show he still wants negotiations.
Of course he was not serious — but has made a serious point. As the ideas on arms control started flying, it was suggested Russia to not deploy its supersonic missiles, be that air fired (Kinzhal), or missile released gliders (Avangard). Such i”ideas” are cute, as US does not have a comparable technology to propose for limiting. By that logic, all the weapons announced by Russia should just not be implemented, and we have arms balance!
Putin’s suggestion is to get around this problem. By having US buy missiles it does not have — then US will at least have something to put on the negotiating table!
Another step toward WWIII. How anybody can’t or won’t see what’s happening is pathetic. The Wash. has become the world’s bogyman and is willing to do whatever it takes, even destroying the world, for it’s ego and avarice.