Washington has been mulling plans to deploy missiles to Europe following a unilateral decision to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in February 2019. Russia has repeatedly criticised such plans and vowed to deploy its own missiles, capable of reaching all parts of Europe in response.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has warned that the US’ decision to deploy its missile systems in the vicinity of Russia’s borders may not only provoke an escalation of tensions in the region, but also to trigger a standoff similar to the Cuban Missile Crisis.