Prague, June 18 (CTK) – The USA expects Russia to meet the commitments ensuing from the agreements on armament control, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland told reporters in Prague Thursday.
She reacted to the recent statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin about the planned extension of the Russian nuclear arsenal.
Moscow’s statements about a new armament have only an intimidating effect and the reality is usually not that dramatic, she said.
The USA will keep watching the situation carefully, she added.
Putin announced two days ago that Russia would strengthen its nuclear arsenal by more than 40 new intercontinental ballistic missiles this year.
NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg criticised Moscow’s step and warned of further destabilisation of the tense international situation.
Nuland attended the strategic dialogue between the Czech Republic and the United States about current foreign political issues in Prague Thursday.
With representatives of the Czech Foreign Affairs Ministry, she discussed the strengthening of cooperation between both countries as well as cooperation in NATO, energy security and the situation in Eastern Europe, mainly the crisis in Ukraine.
“We have agreed that the escalation of violence in Ukraine must be prevented and that Europe and the USA must keep coordinating their steps and intensify its effort to find the solution to the conflict in Ukraine,” Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek (Social Democrats, CSSD) said about his meeting with Nuland.
She also met Finance Minister and Deputy PM Andrej Babis (ANO) in Prague.
