Russia to Give Symmetrical Response to NATO Weapons Program

Russia will give a symmetrical and low-cost response to the new weapons development plans of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Europe, an official source said Wednesday.

We know very well what these weapons programs are, in no way related to the fight against terrorism, since they are meant for a Cold War scheme, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said.

Both sides recognize the need for talks, but the Atlantic alliance refuses to make contacts among military, said the Russian official.

Grushko considered the situation to be absurd when the United States requires Europe to increase the defense expenses by each member of the alliance to two percent of the planned GDP to make it fairer.

But if Washington ever wants to spend a billion dollars on defense, should it pull the Europeans into that adventure? He wondered.

The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister reiterated that the expansion of NATO towards this country's borders is one of the points of the controversy with that bloc.

Russia points out that the deployment of elements of the U.S. anti-missile system in bordering European countries and the extension of that military bloc constitute a direct threat to its national security.