BRUSSELS – NATO’s chief says the military alliance would be concerned if reports that Russia has violated a Cold War-era treaty by deploying a cruise missile prove true.
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U.S. intelligence agencies have assessed that the missile became operational late last year, possibly violating the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty on the development and testing of cruise missiles.
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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday that “compliance with arms control agreements is of great importance and especially when it comes to treaties covering nuclear weapons.”
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He said that “any non-compliance of Russia with the INF Treaty would be a serious concern for the alliance.”
His remarks in Brussels came before chairing the first meeting of NATO defence ministers with U.S. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis.
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