On Wednesday, 26 June, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg warned that the Alliance would respond to Russia if the country failed to comply with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
Moscow has until 2 August to do so, the date on which the United States’ withdrawal from the Treaty will take effect.
“What we have decided [this Wednesday] is that we will respond should Russia not return to compliance [with the treaty’s requirements],” he told reporters after a working session of the Allied Defence Ministerial meeting and a meeting of the Nuclear Planning Group.
Stressing that the Alliance would remain “measured and defensive” in these actions, the Secretary General confirmed that NATO had no intention of deploying new land-based nuclear missiles in Europe. However, “we must continue to maintain credible deterrence and defence”, he pointed out.
Thus, “ministers have also considered potential NATO measures such as our exercise programme, as well as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance”, Mr Stoltenberg announced. According to him, the Allies will also “look further at [their] air and missile defences, and [their] conventional capabilities”. “We will ensure that our nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure, and effective”, he added.
Once again, the Secretary General urged Russia to comply with the treaty. “Russia still has a chance to do the right thing and save the Treaty”, he emphasised, reiterating that, while there was a window of opportunity to take action, time was running out.
Upon arriving in Brussels, Luxembourg Minister François Bausch had been more optimistic, reiterating that there was still time and hoping that Russia would return to the negotiating table.
A meeting of the NATO Council/Russia is scheduled for the first week of July. According to Mr Stoltenberg, the objective of this meeting will be to call on Moscow to uphold its arms control commitments or to warn the Russians that by continuing their “irresponsible and dangerous behaviour”, they will have to bear full responsibility for the Treaty’s demise. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)