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NATO on Tuesday called on Russia to return to full compliance with Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
NATO released a statement after the meeting of member countries’ foreign ministers in Brussels.
“We call on Russia to return urgently to full and verifiable compliance. It is now up to Russia to preserve the INF Treaty,” the statement said.
“The INF Treaty has been crucial in upholding NATO's security for over 30 years. Allies have concluded that Russia has developed and fielded a missile system, which violates the INF Treaty and poses significant risks to Euro-Atlantic security. We strongly support the finding of the United States that Russia is in material breach of its obligations under the INF Treaty,” it added.
The statement noted that the U.S. and its allies have repeatedly raised their concerns with Russia, both bilaterally and multilaterally.
It said Russia “only recently acknowledged the existence of the missile system, but without providing the necessary transparency or explanation.”
“The United States has remained in full compliance with its obligations under the INF Treaty since it entered into force,” the statement said.
“NATO will continue to ensure the credibility and effectiveness of the Alliance's overall deterrence and defence posture,” it added.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavuşoğlu on Tuesday said his country is “one of the largest contributors to NATO” and “expects solidarity”.“Transatlantic bond is key to #NATO and to our collective security,” Mevlut Çavuşoğlu , who is in Brussels to attend NATO Foreign Ministers meeting, said in a Twitter message.“As one of the largest contributors to NATO missions and operations, #Turkey expects solidarity from the #Alliance in all issues,” Çavuşoğlu added.In the first day of NATO meeting, Çavuşoğlu attended sessions titled “Georgia and Ukraine”, and “Transatlantic Security”. The Turkish minister also met separately with his German, Icelandic, Spanish, Italian and Romanian counterparts.On the second day of the meeting, Çavuşoğlu will attend sessions titled “Western Balkans” and “Afghanistan - Resolute Support Mission”.NATO iterates call on Russia to free Ukrainian sailorsSecurity challenges to dominate NATO meeting
Turkey expects ‘solidarity’ from NATO: Turkish FM
Russian, Turkish, German leaders agreed to hold a new quadrilateral summit on Syria if need be, a Kremlin spokesman said on Tuesday.Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov said: "We agreed both with [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan and [German Chancellor Angela] Merkel that when it is necessary, one more forum can be convened with the participation of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, Erdogan, Merkel and [French President Emmanuel] Macron.”The consensus was reached during separate meetings of Putin with Erdogan and Merkel on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires, Ushakov said.He added that Putin did not discuss this issue with Macron yet.The place of a new meeting will be defined when the date is set, according to the aide.On Oct.27, Istanbul hosted the first ever quadrilateral summit on Syria. Turkish, Russian French and German leaders examined the situation in the country and offered a plan for the crisis resolution.The council stressed that the issues agreed on at the summit would contribute to peace in Syria and the region, as well as provide a permanent cease-fire by demilitarization in the northwestern province of Idlib.Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on demonstrators with unexpected ferocity.
Russia agrees on new Syria summit with Turkey, Germany