MOSCOW, September 22. /TASS/. Russia is fully ready to respond to threats with force, President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting of the Russian Security Council. He also noted that Russia is prepared to continue observing the core tenets of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) for one year after it expires. TASS has compiled the key statements made by the president.
The situation in the field of strategic stability "continues to deteriorate."
This trend stems from a whole host of negative factors that "provoke the aggravation of existing strategic risks and the emergence of new ones."
The West’s destructive actions have "significantly undermined the foundation of constructive relations and practical cooperation between nuclear powers."
The system of agreements between Russia and the US on nuclear and strategic defensive weapons "has been almost entirely dismantled."
