NATO allies have been discussing possible measures in case Russia does not come back into compliance with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in the next five weeks before the August 2 deadline, according to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaking ahead of NATO’s Defence Ministers’ two-day meeting in Brussels on Wednesday.
“If they don’t come back into compliance, we need to respond so we also need to prepare for a world without the INF Treaty,” said the NATO chief who nonetheless added countermeasures will not be implemented until the given deadline.
Stoltenberg also addressed the heightened tensions between the US and Iran saying, “I think it is extremely important the clear message from the United States that they are ready to sit down with Iran and talk and to try to reduce tensions.”
According to Stoltenberg, the acting US Defence Secretary Mark Esper will also attend the ministerial meeting where he will brief allies regarding the situation in the Persian Gulf.