Fears Russia has secretly developed illegal nuclear missiles that can hit anywhere in Europe
Lithuania’s foreign minister Linas Linkevicius wants greater international cooperation to tackle the nuclear threat from Russia
THERE are fears that Russia has secretly developed illegal nuclear missiles that can hit anywhere in Europe – including Berlin.
Lithuanian’s foreign minister Linas Linkevicius has accused Russia of “violating” the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty “for several years”.
In an interview with , he said “of course” Lithuania was concerned about Russia deploying Iskander missiles in the Kaliningrad Region, as the weapons can also be set up to carry nuclear warheads.
The minister told DW that these missiles could reach not just Riga in Latvia, Tallinn in Finland and Lithuania’s capital of Vilnius, “but also Berlin”.
He added: “And they’re nuclear-capable. So I believe it’s really an escalation measure. That’s not a claim, it’s a fact. It’s not denied by Russia.”
Linkevicius said that greater cooperation was needed and that the issue should be taken “very seriously by the international community”.
The INF treaty is a 1987 arms control agreement between the US and the Soviet Union – now the Russian Federation.
It eliminated all nuclear and conventional missiles, as well as their launches, with ranges of 500-1,000km (310-620 miles) short range, and 1,000-5,500km/620-3,420 miles, intermediate-range.
But, the INF treaty didn’t cover sea-launched missiles.
Donald Trump has indicated his intention to withdraw the US from the agreement, because of Russia's alleged non-compliance.
NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said recently that Russia’s deployment of new nuclear-capable missiles in Europe was jeopardising the treaty – a key arms control agreement that helped end the Cold War.
Stoltenberg told journalists: “The problem is the deployment of new Russian missiles. There are no new US missiles in Europe, but there are more Russian missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads, and those missiles put the INF treaty in jeopardy.
“Therefore we call on Russia to ensure they are in full and transparent compliance with the INF treaty.”
Reuters reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed Washington’s plans to exit the INF arms treaty with US Vice President Mike Pence when the pair met in Singapore today.
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The Associated Press said Putin and Pence spoke about issues likely to top the agenda of his next planned meeting with Trump – including arms control.
Pence's press secretary, Alyssa Farah, said the two "touched on the issues that will be discussed when President Trump and President Putin are both in Argentina for the (Group of 20) summit."
Putin said Moscow and Washington need to discuss the future of the 2011 New START arms-reduction agreement and the situation around the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty.
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