Usa Does Not Endanger Russia As It Bangs Door On Abm Treaty: Putin

The US President's decision to unilaterally leave the ABM treaty does not undermine Russia's national security, President Vladimir Putin said "with full assurance" as he was addressing the nation in a television livecast. Unlike other nuclear countries, Russia and the USA both possess effective systems to outdo anti-missile defence. The situation moves into the foreground, alongside anti-missile defence, a legal footing to be given to available understandings for further radical, irreversible and verifiable reductions of strategic offensive arsenals. As Russia sees it, they are to be reduced to 1,500-2,000 nuclear warheads for either party. It is necessary not merely to preserve the present level of Russo-US relations but to use them for further efforts on an updated framework of strategic relations. Now that the world is facing ever new dangers, a legal vacuum is not to be tolerated in strategic stability, stressed President Putin as he strongly warned against undermining mass destruction weapon nonproliferation.