NATO has called on Russia to shed light on a new missile system that the US and other allies claim violates the accord. President Trump has vowed to pull out of the 1987 treaty over alleged noncompliance by Russia.
Image: Reuters/F. Lenoir
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NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday urged Russia to make quick changes to comply in full with the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty.
The NATO chief voiced his dissatisfaction that Moscow had not responded to the Alliance's concerns over its SSC-8 missile program (known in Russia as the 9M729).
"NATO has urged Russia repeatedly to address these concerns in a substantial and transparent way, and to actively engage in a constructive dialogue with the United States," Stoltenberg said at talks between Russian and NATO envoys in Brussels.
"We regret that Russia has not heeded our calls" for transparency about the missile system, he said.
Stoltenberg added that Russia's reluctance to discuss the missile system reinforces NATO's belief that it "poses a serious risk to the strategic stability of the Euro-Atlantic area."
Russia denies that the missile system violates the INF treaty, which prohibits the US and Russia from possessing, producing or test-flying ground-launched nuclear cruise missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers (300 to 3,400 miles).
President Donald Trump vowed last month to withdraw from INF, accusing Russia of "violating the terms of the treaty." The Kremlin responded, saying Russia would be forced to respond in kind if the US began developing new missiles.
Renewed tensions
The NATO and Russian envoys also discussed their respective large-scale military exercises.
The two sides had an "open exchange" of views on Ukraine, Russia's Vostok military exercises and NATO's ongoing Trident Juncture drills, as well as on Afghanistan and hybrid security threats, a NATO statement said.
The talks took place against the backdrop of renewed tensions between the West and Russia mainly over Moscow's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its involvement in eastern Ukraine.
In October, NATO launched its largest exercises since the Cold War in Norway.
Russia's 2018 edition of Vostok mobilized 300,000 troops and included joint exercises with the Chinese army — the biggest such drills since the Soviet Union broke up in 1991.
NATO Trident Juncture war games kick off in Norway
NATO's largest military exercise since the end of the Cold War is taking place in Norway. With complex maneuvers planned over large swathes of territory, DW breaks down the numbers.
Image: picture alliance/dpa
Massive NATO war games begin
NATO's "Trident Juncture," the largest military exercise since the end of the Cold War, launched in Norway on October 25 and is due to run until November 7. Some 50,000 troops are taking part in the exercises, including 24,000 navy personnel and 20,000 land forces.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Assanimoghaddam
Germany takes leading role
Germany is the second largest contributor to the NATO exercise, coming in behind the United States. Some 10,000 German troops are taking part, with German forces leading one of the land exercises. A total of 31 countries are participating in the exercises, including non-NATO members Finland and Sweden.
Image: picture alliance/dpa
Thousands of military vehicles
NATO's "Trident Juncture" exercise will also see thousands of military vehicles put to use, including some 250 aircraft, 65 ships and over 10,000 vehicles. The United States' nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman will also be taking part.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Assanimoghaddam
Angering Russia
The scripted maneuvers during "Trident Juncture" are based on a hypothetical scenario where troops have to restore Norway's sovereignty following an attack by a "fictitious aggressor." Norway has grown increasingly nervous about neighboring Russia since it annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. NATO's latest exercise has angered Moscow, which slammed it as an "anti-Russian" and "provocative."
Image: Forsvaret/Torbjørn Kjosvold
Maps, meals and laundry
To help ensure that "sensitive areas" like hospitals, schools and drinking water sites aren't affected during the exercise, Norway printed 1.6 million maps for NATO troops to use. The Norwegian Armed Forces estimate 650 tons of laundry will be done during the exercise and some 1.8 million meals.
Image: Forsvaret/Anette Ask
Complex operations on air, land and sea
The exercise area encompasses large areas of land, sea and air space — with naval operations stretching along the Norwegian coast and down to Scotland. The focus of the exercise will be on the land exercise in central Norway. Participating troops will be divided into northern and southern forces that will maneuver against one another.
