Russia needs more weapons to punch through America’s new missile defence shield, Vladimir Putin said yesterday in blunt remarks that will complicate efforts to cut the nuclear arsenals of the former Cold War rivals.
The Russian Prime Minister, reasserting himself as the country’s real ruler, said that Moscow should press ahead with a new generation of weapons to stop the Americans doing “whatever they want”.
“To preserve the balance we must develop offensive weapons systems, not missile defence systems as the United States is doing,” he said during a visit to the naval port of Vladivostok on the Pacific coast.
Until now, it had seemed that Washington and Moscow were edging towards a successor to the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (Start), despite failing to meet the original target of December 5.
Asked why the talks had failed to reach agreement on a new deal, Mr Putin said: “What is the problem? The problem is that our American partners are building an anti-missile shield and we are not building one.”
The Prime Minister was believed to be voicing the deeply held views of hardliners in the Russian military machine, but his forthright statement may also be linked to growing signs that he is preparing to announce his intention to seek a new presidential term in 2012.
International arms treaties are the remit of the president. Mr Putin, in staking out his position, was wading into the domain of Dmitri Medvedev, his chosen successor in the Kremlin after he stood down last year.
It has always been widely believed that Mr Putin was allowing President Medvedev merely to keep his seat warm while he was taking a break, as laid down by the Constitution. His return to the presidential office would signal a harder line.
President Obama’s reversal in July of plans to station the American missile defence shield close to Russia’s borders in Central Europe — and his vow to reset relations with Moscow — were warmly welcomed by Mr Medvedev. The thaw was expected to pave the way for an agreement on a new nuclear arms reduction package.
Now Mr Putin suggests that the American concessions are not enough. “If we are not developing an anti- missile shield then there is a danger that our partners, by creating such an umbrella, will feel completely secure and thus can allow themselves to do what they want, disrupting the balance, and aggressiveness will rise immediately,” Mr Putin said.
He made it clear that Washington should share its missile defence plans — based on sea and land-based interceptors in Europe — with Moscow if it wanted to ease Russian concerns. “Let the Americans hand over all their information on missile defence and we are ready to hand over all the information on offensive weapons,” he said.
Mr Putin’s intervention was seen by observers as an attempt to extract more American concessions on the defence shield while also allowing him to demonstrate that he remains the paramount voice in Russian politics.
“This is not his sphere but Putin is showing he is not weaker than Medvedev,” the defence analyst Aleksandr Konovalov said. Some will see it as the latest issue on which differences are emerging between the two players in the leadership of Russia.
Mr Putin continues to steal the limelight, as illustrated by his high-profile tour around the Far East of Russia at a time when most of the country is winding down for 11 days of holiday at the start of the new year and Orthodox Christmas. Recently he was filmed flooring members of the Russian national judo team.
The Start treaty was signed shortly before the collapse of the Soviet Union 18 years ago. It led to significant cuts in Russian and American arsenals but expired on December 5. Both countries agreed to extend it while talks on a replacement treaty continue.
RELATED ARTICLES
- After Fooling the People to Reelect Putin, Russia now announces More Cannon Fodder Mobilizations
- Russia Fires Barrage of North Korean Missiles at Kyiv After US Visit
- Ex-Wagner fighters Join Free Russia Army's Battle to Liberate Russia from Putin Occupation
- Hungary Becomes First EU Country to Congratulate Putin for Winning the 'Elections'
- Putin says NATO Troops are already in Ukraine But Russia is Still Winning
Loading ...
If I was American, I would be praying to be taken over by Russia. Obama is busy turning the US into a non-white shithole. You should thank whoever stop the US government. I would rather serve under a Russian president in the US than under a half-nigger from Kenya !
Robbie, I have to disappoint you, sorry… Russian president-and-Co are nothing better really. All of them are from the same team – playing against humanity and God. Wait a bit until Russians deserve and get a REAL Leader given by God to set REAL Rightness and REAL Freedom for His people. But, according to the Bible, it is going to happen only after the Biggest and in fact the Last War – the “Battle at Armageddon” will occur. Which is to happen very soon it seems.
The U.S., the people of the U.S., anyway… are not your enemy. The globalists have taken control of our government, our educational establishments, our media, etc, etc… and they did it with Russia’s help. The game never changes for them. It’s divide and conquer. When they are finished destroying America, they will again focus thier attention on Russia. They will gain control over your politicians, and again corrupt your leaders to return you to the brutal oppression of the past, only this time America will just be another gulag. God help us all.
Clarify please what do you mean as “Russia’s help”? Or tell me at least one serious explanation of HOW Russia could influence your government, media, etc. Funny that Russians think the same about Americans being sure that it’s America’s responsibility for Russia’s current disasters. The problem is that people of Russia are suffering the SAME CONTROL over every side of their life and definitely much more even than people in the U.S.
It looks like you should know a difference between polititians and just people, as well as a difference between “puppets” and those who pull the threads. This is why, people, lets not be fooled by “puppeteers” who tell us that we are enemies. People are people everywhere and we, Russians, have the same human values like anyone else. Moreover, we all are in the same “boat” now and should realize that someone is trying to sink us. Lets stop be stupid and gullible for our own sake!
Insurgent…I have already looked at the “death camps” BS…and that’s exactly what it is..BullSh*t!
BUT, even if it were true, what does this have to do with Russia? What? Are we going to import Russians all the way to the U.S. so we can put them in death camps?!
Seriously, what are talking about?
What do you mean bullshit Vicki? Have you never heard of the FEMA camps?
Ask Alex Jones about the FEMA camps and he can tell you much about them. Watch his documentaries.
Oh Brother! You conspiracy theorists are beyond ridiculous…There is so much out there to be alarmed about..(with our government) but this story is so far-fetched…You ruin your chances of EVER being taken serious, because you automatically believe the most ridiculous, unsubstantiated lies…Why do that? when there are so many things going on that are true?
The original videos are from as far back as 1995..they just keep getting regurgitated on the internet. I wont respond to this again…go read the link below..or dont…your choice.
(I also wont be arguing for/against leprechauns, fairys, elves, etc.. for the same reasons!)
http://glennbeck.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/04/06/debunking-fema-camp-myths/
Vicki, it saddens me to see a fellow American so illinformed. The link you posted is the end result of Glenn Beck’s investigation,but not the results that he actually found to be true. After Beck announced on the foxnews morning show that he had his staff working on debunking the fema camp issue for several weeks,he said they were unable to do so because they are real & he’d be giving the details on his show. Now,we can only speculate on what happened between the morning show & his episode on it, but it must’ve been some seriously persuasive chatting going on behind the scenes for him to do that 180. Check it out & while you’re at it, find the Conspiracy Theory episode about those camps where the cosponser of the bill was confronted,that was ripped off the air. I too once believed these were crazy stories..not in the US..hmm,now I see that I was just a sheep. You cannot deny facts. The bills that put all of these things in place are right there on our government website for you to read should you choose to face the truth.
Vicki,
what teh US plans to do? I say nothing, just put these 3 words in your search engine and exploit the variety of answers…
‘death-camps-USA’
Good luck.
DITTO > Vicki! LOL!
I support president Putin on this issue but I am also suspicious on him as well.
The fact: the United States MUST be stopped, is true. The Evil Empire is worse than is predecessor the SovietGulagUnion was. The Evil Empire now has very sophisticated weapons (including the software technology) to monitor people. And the USA was the country which developed this chip-style “democracy”.
Real freedom-lovers MUST fight the USA and abolish its government.
HAIL THE ORDER!
What the hell are you talking about?
Monitoring technology has been in existence for quite some time…and still isn’t good enough to stop all terrorist attacks, drug deals, etc…
What is it you think the U.S. plans to do?
Who do you thing is DOING the terrorist attacks and drug deals? Don’t be naive. The CIA runs more cocaine and heroine than anyone else. If you think Al Quaeda was the cause of 9/11, you need to take your head out of the sand.
Ahh well…I guess our naive President needs to go on another a$$-kissing apology tour..
Vicki in U.S.