To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the deployment by Russia of Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad constitutes a breach of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty; and if he will make a statement.
Answered on
28 March 2017
This answer is a correction from the original answer.
The INF Treaty is a Treaty between the US Russia and other successor States of the Soviet Union, so it would be for those countries in the first instance to determine any breaches. Iskander is usually regarded as a short-range rather than an intermediate-range missile. The INF Treaty plays a vital role in maintaining Euro-Atlantic security, and we urge Russia to ensure full and verifiable compliance.
We and our NATO Allies monitor closely the deployment of Russian military assets to Kaliningrad. NATO has made clear that Russia should avoid all actions that could destabilise security in its neighbourhood.
Original answer
The INF Treaty is a bilateral Treaty between the US and Russia, so it would be for those States in the first instance to determine any breaches. Iskander is usually regarded as a short-range rather than an intermediate-range missile. The INF Treaty plays a vital role in maintaining Euro-Atlantic security, and we urge Russia to ensure full and verifiable compliance.
We and our NATO Allies monitor closely the deployment of Russian military assets to Kaliningrad. NATO has made clear that Russia should avoid all actions that could destabilise security in its neighbourhood.