96

Statement made by President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev in relation to the situation around AMD system of NATO countries in Europe 97

Dmitry Medvedev

Dear citizens of Russia! I’m addressing to you in However afterwards, the United States launched connection with the situation around antimissile defense a new antimissile plan referred to as a phased plan. This of NATO countries in Europe. particular plan is a cause of our concern. The point is that Let’s recall the history. It’s rather complex both in future the plan envisages deployment of a certain mis- with the United States and NATO countries in what con- sile and antimissile capacity next to the Russian borders cerns antimissile defense. As I remember, when the US and in the water areas adjacent to Russia. president in September 2009 had revised his predeces- A year earlier during the Russia-NATO Council sor’s plans of building the US antimissile system in Eu- summit in Lisbon, I had put forward an initiative of creat- rope, our response to that step had been quite positive. ing a joint European antimissile defense system (if ADM That was a reasonable decision that had helped is on the agenda, we suggest joint effort in this area), a us enter into a significant Treaty for reduction and limita- system arranged in the form of sectors, where every party tion of strategic offensive arms that had fairly recently is responsible for a certain sector. been signed to clearly state the indissoluble connection What’s more we hadn’t ceased making proposals between strategic arms and antimissile defense. Once prepared for the system further modification in view of again, this proved a very great achievement. the NATO partners’ opinion so that to maintain the bot- 98 tom line which means that Europe needs no new borders, for objective, i.e. military-technical criteria, could judge but a uniform security perimeter with the equal Russian whether the actions taken by both the US and NATO legal participation. in the sphere of antimissile defense are consistent with I’m convinced that such approach still retains its their declarations, what are they doing, are our interest unique potential for accession to a genuine strategic part- infringed, is the strategic nuclear parity being cracked. nership between Russia and the North Atlantic alliance. And this is the basis of the present-day security. Indeed any frictions and confrontation in our relation- We will never accept participation in a program ship could give way to principles of equal rights, indivis- that after a relatively short time span – five, six, probably ibility, security, mutual trust and predictability. eight years later will be capable to lessen our deterrence Unfortunately, the United States of America and posture. The very program of the European AMD has been other NATO partners in their wake had failed to display put into force. Unfortunately, its implementation is gather- any serious preparedness to follow this path. They are ing momentum: it’s underway in Poland, Turkey, Romania not going, at any rate for the time being, to consider our and Spain, while we are presented with fait accompli. anxiety for the European AMD architecture at the pres- The dialogue with the US and NATO on AMD will ent stage trying to convince us that they have no designs for sure be continued. This has been agreed on with US against Russia. Moreover, to ostensibly calm us down, President Barack Obama quite recently during our meet- they say – this is not against you, don’t worry. ing, where I had again to express our concern with the Such are comments of the executive power, while utmost precision. We still have time to reach mutual un- legislators in certain countries reply straightforwardly derstanding. Russia has political will to achieve required – bear in mind, this is against you. But when we ask to agreements able to open a crucially new page in our re- put this on paper in the form of clear unambiguous legal lationship with the United States and the North Atlantic commitments, we receive a square refusal. Treaty. We have taken a reasonable position ready to dis- Should our partners take an honest and respon- cuss both status and content of such commitments, but sible approach to the task of considering our legitimate our colleagues, our partners ought to realize that these interests in the sphere of security, then I’m positive, we’ll commitments cannot be shared, they cannot be un- be able to come to terms. Should they offer us to «cooper- founded. They should be stated so that Russia, not on the ate» or speaking sincerely to work against our own inter- basis of promises, certain oblique representations, but est, then no common denominator of ours will work out.

Topol-M ICBM 99 In such case, we will have to give other answers, and our actions will be lined up in response to the real developments at each up- coming stage of the US plan implementation. In this connection, I have made the following decisions: First: By my in- struction, the Russian De- fense Ministry will imme- diately make operational missile warning system radar station in the city of Kaliningrad. Second: Within the framework of creating the Russian aerospace defense system, strengthened as a matter of priority will be coverage of strategic nu- clear forces installations. Third: Strategic ballistic missiles entering the inventory of Strate- gic Missile Forces and our Navy will be fitted with advance antimissile de- fense suppression systems and new highly efficient warheads. Four: I have given the Armed Forces a task to formulate measures capable, if required, to destroy information and Iskander tactical ballistic missile system command aids of the air defense system. The above measures are adequate, effec- Apart from this, considering indissoluble con- tive and cost-efficient. nection between strategic offensive and defensive arms, Five: Should the above measures prove insuf- certain grounds may arise for our country’s withdrawal ficient, the Russian Federation shall deploy in west and from the Offensive Disarmament Treaty. This is provided south of the country the latest strike weapon systems for by the Treaty’s tenor. capable of hitting the European AMD component. One Nevertheless, I’d like to emphasize again: our of such systems will be represented by guided missile doors are not closed for the further dialogue with the system Iskander to be deployed in Kaliningrad special United States and the North Atlantic Treaty as concerns region. antimissile defense or for practical cooperation in such Prepared and implemented, as needed, will be sphere. We are ready to do it. other measures to counteract the European component However, the way towards this work lies through of the US antimissile defense. setting up a clear legal base for our cooperation, the base Next: Given adverse developments, Russia will capable of accommodating our legitimate interests. We reserve the right to drop any further steps in the sphere are open to the dialogue expecting a reasonable and con- of disarmament, and respectively, arms control. structive approach on the part of our western partners.