Kosachev: Huntsman’s remark no guarantee missiles won’t be deployed to Europe

The only guarantee that U.S. intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles won’t be deployed to Europe was the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, and the words of outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman can’t guarantee this, Russian senator Konstantin Kosachev said.

"With all understanding that the words of the ambassador, who is representing the country’s official position, are important, I have no illusions regarding the US plans on intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles," the Russian senator noted.

The Americans did not withdraw from the [INF] treaty in order to honor it. The only guarantee of the non-deployment of US missiles in Europe was the INF Treaty," TASS cited him as saying.

According to Kosachev, since this treaty is no longer in effect, "the situation is unpredictable and therefore is very alarming."

Earlier, Huntsman said that if the systems of this class were in demand, the US would more likely deploy them on the first island chain in the Asia-Pacific region rather than to Europe.