NATO sees no sign of Russian complying with missile pact

BRUSSELS – NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says Russia is showing no sign of respecting a major Cold War-era missile treaty.

Following talks with the Moscow’s envoy less than a month before the pact expires, Stoltenberg said Friday that “we didn’t see any sign of Russia being willing to come back into compliance” with the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union.

In February, Washington began the 6-month process of withdrawing from the pact, blaming Russia for developing a missile that does not comply with it. The treaty will end unless Russia destroys the missiles by August 2.

The Pentagon says Russia’s SSC-8 ground-fired cruise missile falls within that range and could allow Moscow to launch a nuclear strike in Europe with little or no notice.