RUSSIA: Putin warns of ‘new nuclear arms race’

President Vladimir Putin has warned Russia will respond “in kind” if new US nuclear missiles are placed in Europe. Mr Putin said any European countries hosting US missiles would be at risk of Russian strikes. Nato has said it is unlikely to deploy more nuclear weapons to Europe should an arms control treaty between Washington […]

President Vladimir Putin has warned Russia will respond “in kind” if new US nuclear missiles are placed in Europe.

Mr Putin said any European countries hosting US missiles would be at risk of Russian strikes.

Nato has said it is unlikely to deploy more nuclear weapons to Europe should an arms control treaty between Washington and Moscow collapse.

The US says Russia has violated the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty and plans to withdraw.

Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg agreed that Russia had probably violated the deal. He said Nato did not seek confrontation but stood ready to defend all allies against any threat.

Thursday sees Nato begin its largest military exercise since the Cold War. The operation is to repel a mock invasion of Norway and will involve all 29 members, as well as Finland and Sweden.