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Russia bewildered over US statement on hypersonic missiles in Europe — diplomat

US National Security Adviser O’Brien said in a speech at the Hudson Institute in Washington on October 28 that the United States would be ready to deploy intermediate- and shorter-range missiles in Europe, if necessary, to deter Russia

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Press service of the Russian Foreign Ministry/TASS

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

© Press service of the Russian Foreign Ministry/TASS

MOSCOW, October 29. /TASS/. The statements by US National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien on Washington’s readiness to deploy hypersonic missiles in Europe for deterring Russia cause bewilderment, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

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"Considering the statements US politicians allow themselves, I would like to advise the American political elite to deter itself rather than Russia," the diplomat said.

"The perseverance of the United States in its efforts to create pre-requisites for the emergence of a new missile crisis in Europe cannot but cause profound and sincere bewilderment," Zakharova said.

The actions US National Security Adviser O’Brien spoke about do not strengthen the security of the United States and its allies in any way, the Russian diplomat said.

"The only thing Washington manages to deter by such methods relates to any feeble efforts by Europeans to display independence and try to establish constructive relations with Russia in the sphere of security and stability," she said.

"To all appearances, this is the goal Washington is pursuing now," the Russian diplomat said.

The deployment of intermediate- and shorter-range missiles earlier banned by the INF (Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces) Treaty "would be an extremely risky and destabilizing step," the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman stressed.

"This is why Russia has declared a unilateral moratorium on deploying such weapons in the regions where similar US-made systems will be absent. Our commitments remain in force in full," the diplomat said.

US National Security Adviser O’Brien said in a speech at the Hudson Institute in Washington on October 28 that the United States would be ready to deploy intermediate- and shorter-range missiles in Europe, if necessary, to deter Russia.

The United States was also ready to take similar steps in the Indo-Pacific Region to deter China, which was not party to the INF Treaty and had deployed thousands of missiles that were aimed at US allies and could be used against the US Navy, O’Brien said.

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