Russia's covert deployment of a land-based cruise missile capable of targeting Europe with nuclear weapons has placed the continent in serious danger, says Sen. Ben Cardin, a ranking member of the Committee on Foreign Relations.
"Russia is once again placing Europe in the shadow of a potential nuclear conflict … [It's] deployment of this system is in direct violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty — and endangers America's closest allies," Cardin, a Maryland Democrat, writes in an opinion piece in Wednesday's Guardian.
"The greatest threat to Europe's security today is Russia, which under President [Vladimir] Putin's leadership has been systematically undermining all of the security arrangements that peacefully ended the Cold War.
"The cruise missile system Russia has deployed is particularly dangerous and destabilizing. It allows Russia to rapidly target Europe with nuclear forces, providing NATO with almost no warning time to determine if an attack is occurring."
Cardin said the possibility that Russia will once again comply with the treaty "appears increasingly unlikely."
"We must take decisive action to confront Russia about its treaty violation, while enhancing our defensive security measures so that we can protect our own security and the security of our allies," he said.
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