Russia is “playing with fire” with its nuclear saber-rattling and the United States is determined to prevent it from gaining a significant military advantage through violations of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty, the deputy U.S. defense chief said on Thursday.
Speaking to the House Armed Services Committee, Work said Moscow’s effort to use its nuclear forces to intimidate its neighbors had failed, actually bringing NATO allies closer. He also criticized what he called Russia’s “escalate to de-escalate” strategy.
“Anyone who thinks they can control escalation through the use of nuclear weapons is literally playing with fire,” Work said. “Escalation is escalation, and nuclear use would be the ultimate escalation.”
The deputy defense chief said Russia continued to violate the Intermediate Nuclear Forces treaty, which bans ballistic and cruise missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers (315 to 3,450 miles).
Work said the Pentagon was developing options for President Barack Obama to consider to respond to the treaty violations and would not let Russia “gain significant military advantage through INF violations.”
REUTERS, 26 JUNE 2015.