Czech Republic won't deploy US missile sites if the USA withdraws from the INF Treaty. This was reported by the Czech Defense Ministry spokesperson. They also stressed that they expected Moscow and Washington to resume the work on the Treaty. NATO also claims that the agreement can be saved. Thus, Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO, said he sought a meeting with Sergey Lavrov. It may happen at the annual Munich Security Conference which opens tomorrow.
Anastasia Popova is reporting.
NATO believes that the INF Treaty can still be saved and is ready for talks but only proceeding from the assumption that the US is innocent and hasn't violated it, and that it's only Russia to blame. Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO, is going to announce this on the sidelines of the Munich Conference where he expects to meet with Sergey Lavrov.
Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO: “Russia continues to violate the Treaty and we need to plan for a world without the Treaty and with more Russian missiles.”
NATO member states increase their military expenditure, aiming for 2% of the GDP by 2024, which means doubling military budgets of Germany, Italy, Spain. Washington insists that up to 1/3 of this money be spent on new equipment, the main supplier of which being the USA. While Stoltenberg is spooking Europe with Russian phantom missiles, Poland will get real ones from America. A deal has been signed for 20 HIMARS rocket launchers with a firing range of up to 190 miles. All the Kaliningrad Region is within the effective area.
Andrzej Duda, President of Poland: “I'm very happy that the Polish Army, our soldiers, will defend their Fatherland and the free world with this modern equipment.”
Poland plans to get even freer after yielding some territory for another American military base. Alas, in return, Washington may demand that Warsaw refuse any cooperation with Iran and China.
Mike Pence, US Vice President: “The West will never, ever be broken — Our values will prevail... Our people will thrive — and our civilization will triumph. This is our cause. This is why NATO exists.”
Besides Poland, the US delegation visited Slovakia and Hungary, for the first time in 8 years. All the three states are at odds with Brussels. Taking advantage of the differences, the USA is striving to restore its influence on the NATO eastern flank, preventing a rapprochement of these countries with Russia.
Anastasia Popova, Ilya Bernadsky for Vesti from Brussels, Belgium.
