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NATO
While discussing the issue of NATO, Sergei Ryabkov pointed out that the missile systems previously banned by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty), may soon appear in Europe, though NATO allies assure that they have no intention of hosting nuclear weapons, there is no more confidence in the alliance.
"As for NATO's plans regarding the appearance in the European region of systems that were previously banned by the now-defunct INF Treaty, I would not like these plans to be developed and to be put into practice. By indirect indications, I can say that this is going on", Ryabkov said.
The creation of the so-called artillery command, which in the last century was in charge of the Pershing 2 medium-range systems, suggests that the US, together with its allies, is "preparing to repeat that sad experience in the new military-technical, technological operational base", the diplomat said.
"Assurances ... that NATO has no intentions to deploy such nuclear weapons do not convince us of anything. Firstly, there is no trust in NATO as an alliance in principle. We have found ourselves many times in a situation where one thing is announced today, the day after tomorrow another, a year later a third, and all this is done as if nothing had happened. And one of the reasons why Russia now at the highest level requires legal security guarantees is because all the assurances and even the obligations of a political nature have been 'overturned'", he said.
NATO allies act in such a way "as is beneficial and necessary for them, they do not want to reckon with the interests of our security", Ryabkov said.
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