NATO believes Russia is violating nuclear weapons treaty

BRUSSELS, (Patria) - NATO member states believe that Russia is violating a key nuclear weapons control treaty and that the Alliance has repeatedly tried to obtain information about Russia's new missile system, said NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu.

Last year, NATO expressed concern that Russia's 9M729 system, which can carry nuclear warheads, violates the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.

This treaty between Russia and the US prohibits all ground-launched cruise and ballistic missiles with a range between 500 and 5,500 kilometers.

Lungescu said that "in the absence of a credible response from Russia about the new missiles, allies believe that the most likely assessment would be that Russia is violating the INF treaty".

She did not comment on US President Donald Trump's threat to withdraw the US from the treaty, stating only that "allies will continue consultations".