NATO: ‘No indication’ Russia intends to destroy new missile

NATO’s secretary-general on Tuesday said there was “no indication” that Russia intends to destroy missiles that violate the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.

“We call on Russia to take the responsible path, but we have seen no indication that Russia intends to do so,” Jens Stoltenberg said ahead of a meeting with defense ministers. “We will need to respond.”

{mosads}Stoltenberg added that the issue of the SSC-8 missiles will be brought up at a NATO-Russia Council meeting next week.

Russia has until Aug. 2 to destroy the missiles that violate 1987 arms treaty, which bans the creation and maintenance of nuclear and conventional ground-based ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 300 and 3,400 miles.

Russia has denied violating the treaty.

The U.S. announced on Feb. 1 that it would leave the treaty in six months if the missiles are not destroyed.

Russian lawmakers voted to back Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s exit from the treaty earlier this month. Russia has also accused the U.S. of breaking the INF treaty.