Russia stresses right to deploy missiles after US does same

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says his country reserves the right to deploy missiles prohibited by a nuclear arms treaty that the Trump administration withdrew from.

Lavrov says if U.S. withdrawal from the treaty gives it a free hand to begin deploying such missiles, “We reserve the right to do the same so that our missiles are deployed in the same region.” He added: “I reiterate, this is not our choice.”

Lavrov spoke to reporters Wednesday in Abu Dhabi after trips to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

President Vladimir Putin suspended Russia’s participation in the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty after the U.S. announced its withdrawal from it a month ago, setting the stage for it to terminate in six months unless Moscow returns to compliance. Russia denies any breaches.