WASHINGTON, August 5. /TASS/. Russia does not intend to change its stance on the "security equation" with the United States despite Washington's threat to proceed with the deployment of medium-and shorter-range missiles in Germany, Russia’s ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, has told TASS in an interview.
"All of a sudden the Americans seem to have developed a new idea. You have heard that the Americans and Germany have decided to deploy long-range systems on German soil," Antonov said. He explained that some of these missiles were capable of hitting targets 2,700 kilometers away, reaching "the Urals from German territory."
"I would like to say that the Americans have started to make subtle hints: 'You don't like our idea of deploying intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles [in the FRG] starting from 2026? Then let's discuss this problem through a bilateral arms control dialogue.' One has an impression that the Americans have slightly modified their own tactics of exerting pressure on us with the aim to start or resume a conversation on the so-called security equation that would meet the interests of the United States and Russia," Antonov said.
"I personally have the impression that now, by using the threat of a strike capability on German territory, they are trying to force us to change our stance and come to the negotiating table," Antonov explained, stressing that he "had an opportunity to convey to high-ranking US administration officials" the idea that "the tactics of pressure on Russia, especially this particular tactic, will yield no results."
"I was able to confirm and drive the message home, I think, that as long as the United States' policy towards Russia remains unchanged, no negotiations will begin," the ambassador emphasized.
US, German plans
As follows from a joint statement released by Washington and Berlin on July 10, the United States will begin deploying to Germany starting from 2026 new means of attack having a longer range than any of those currently deployed in Europe. Military units equipped with conventional weapons will have at their disposal SM-6 ballistic missiles, Tomahawk cruise missiles and experimental hypersonic weapons having a "significantly longer range than current land-based fires in Europe," the statement reads.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on July 28 that Moscow would cease to implement a unilateral moratorium on the deployment of medium-and shorter-range strike capabilities, should the designated US missiles appear in Germany.