Global Military Competition Intensifies, World Faces Serious Challenges - Putin

Faizan Hashmi Published November 22, 2019 | 04:36 PM

The wold is facing serious challenges, the global competition intensifies and acquires new shapes, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, pointing to Russia's concerns over NATO's increasing activities at its borders and the fate of arms control after Washington's withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF)

NOVO-OGARYOVO (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd November, 2019) The wold is facing serious challenges, the global competition intensifies and acquires new shapes, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, pointing to Russia's concerns over NATO's increasing activities at its borders and the fate of arms control after Washington's withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF).

"We see that the world is facing serious challenges and threats, there are many factors causing uncertainty, technologies are developing rapidly, including the military technologies, and the competition is intensifying and acquiring new shapes," Putin said at a meeting of the Russian Security Council.

The risk of INF-banned missiles spreading after the United States' unilateral withdrawal from the 1987 pact leads to escalation of tensions worldwide, Putin noted.

"The US' withdrawal from the INF under an invented pretext has become a significant blow for the arms control system. The risk of spreading of missiles of this class in different parts of the world has made the global situation even more tense," Putin said, adding that it is important to develop Russia's military capacities with possible changes in the global situation in mind.

"Leading nations are actively improving their offensive armaments, and I will add that more and more members keep joining the so-called missile nuclear club, which you all know about," Putin added.

The Russian president went on to say that NATO's steps on moving its "military infrastructure" closer to the country's borders, and "attempts to militarize the space" were also raising significant concerns.