Russia is warning against nuclear instability at the theater level as well as the strategic, specifically against the U.S. deployment of intermediate-range missiles in Germany. “So, if they opt to follow the path of building up military capabilities against Russia, they should understand that we will create equally, or even more effective counter-force capabilities. And instead of a balance of military restraint, one that is reasonable and takes into account the national interests and security of all parties, there will be a balance of threats and counter-threats,” Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said in an interview with the Izvestia daily, reported TASS.
Russia is ready to discuss with the United States the issue of missile deployment in Germany, Grushko continued. “We have never been seeking to dodge such discussions, but when the Americans withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the first thing we did was to declare a moratorium on the deployment of such missiles. We said that we will not deploy such systems as long as American systems are not deployed to Europe. That’s all,” he noted. “What else could be done? If they were responsible politicians who really care about the interests of security of their countries, they should have said, ‘yes, we will be acting this way.’”
