NATO says no progress in Russia talks on arms treaty
Senior NATO and Russian officials made no progress on 25 November in talks on saving the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty, raising the spectre of a renewed arms race in Europe.
‘There was no real progress in the meeting today because Russia did not indicate any willingness to change their position,’ NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said.
Western capitals allege that Russia's latest generation of medium-range missiles breach the terms of the Cold War era INF treaty, and put European cities at risk.
The United States has warned that it will begin a six-month withdrawal process from the treaty on 2 February, unless Russia withdraws the 9M729 ground-based missile system.
Moscow, however, denies that the missile breaches the accord -- insisting that it has a shorter range than the kind of cruise missiles banned under the accord.
Senior Russian officials including deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov attended Friday's meeting in Brussels, but Stoltenberg said they gave no ground.
‘Russia is now violating the treaty by developing and deploying new missiles,’ Stoltenberg said.
‘These new missiles are hard to detect, they are mobile, they are nuclear-capable, they can reach European cities and they reduce the warning time and therefore the threshold for any potential use of nuclear weapons.’
Stoltenberg described the short period until February 2 and the subsequent six-month US treaty withdrawal process as a ‘window of opportunity’ for Russia to ‘come back into compliance.’
But, in the meantime, he said: ‘We have to realise that the treaty is in real jeopardy. That's the reason why we have asked our military commanders to look into the consequences of a world without an INF treaty.’
You may also like
More from Defence Notes
-
![Ukraine leads the way on battlefield use of directed energy weapons]()
Ukraine leads the way on battlefield use of directed energy weapons
Increased drone use in Ukraine and in Middle Eastern conflicts has created a strong impetus to develop laser and radio-frequency firepower as exploration of direct-energy technology intensifies.
-
![Saudi Arabia eyes large procurement spend as it boosts 2025 defence budget to $78 billion]()
Saudi Arabia eyes large procurement spend as it boosts 2025 defence budget to $78 billion
The new figure is an increase from US$75.8 billion in 2024 and showcases the country’s focus on its Saudi Vision 2030 to achieve a diversified and sustainable economy, reducing the Kingdom’s dependency on oil.
-
![Broad demand for land and technology equipment boosts defence companies’ financial results]()
Broad demand for land and technology equipment boosts defence companies’ financial results
Financial reporting season for the calendar year of 2024 has continued to show substantial growth for defence companies as countries across the world, particularly those in Europe, open the chequebook.
-
![EU commits to increased defence spending and boosting capability]()
EU commits to increased defence spending and boosting capability
There has been increased pressure from the second-term Trump administration in the US, as there was in the first term, for increased defence spending from non-US NATO countries, a move which is noted by Europe as already occurring.
-
![Can the Trump administration overcome the Pentagon's multiple capability integration issues?]()
Can the Trump administration overcome the Pentagon's multiple capability integration issues?
Better integration of systems and sensors across the branches will be critical to ensuring deterrence and readiness.
-
![Trump enters the White House promising into bring the US military to a “golden age”]()
Trump enters the White House promising into bring the US military to a “golden age”
The returning US president also reiterated a commitment to supply the services with “made-in-America” capabilities and to end conflicts worldwide.
