NATO chief says allies keen to avoid arms race with Russia
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says the alliance is studying options to deal with what it insists are Russian violations of a key missile treaty but that it wants to avoid sparking any arms race.
Speaking at NATO headquarters Wednesday, where defense ministers are discussing the future of the imperiled Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, Stoltenberg said: "This is very serious. We will take our time."
On Feb. 2, Washington launched the six-month process for leaving the INF, insisting that a new Russia missile system breaks the pact's range requirements. Russia denies violating the 1987 treaty and says it is pulling out, too.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Stoltenberg says NATO has many options but that its response "will be measured and it will be defensive because we don't want a new arms race."