SOCHI, December 5. /TASS/. Russia is not interested in triggering an arms race or deploying intermediate and shorter range missiles there where there are none, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at another in a series of conferences on defense issues on Thursday.
"Russia is not interested in triggering an arms race or deploying missiles where there are none," Putin said. He recalled that Russia had declared a unilateral moratorium on the deployment of intermediate and shorter range missiles and invited its European counterparts and the United States to join in.
Putin said there had been an answer only from French President Emmanuel Macron.
"No reaction from other partners followed. This forces us to take measures to resist the aforesaid threats," Putin said. He recalled that the United States in 2002 unilaterally pulled out from the anti-ballistic missile treaty.
In that case, Putin said, the United States assumed the responsibility for that move and made no attempts to blame Russia.
Putin pointed out that the US side quit the INF Treaty unilaterally, too, but this time made an attempt to blame Russia for this.
"There is nothing to support this stance. Nevertheless, such attempts are being made," he concluded.
Putin said that at the closing meeting devoted to the development of the armed forces he would discuss with the officials concerned ways of neutralizing potential threats connected with the US pullout from the INF Treaty.