EU countries must develop counter strategy on nukes

Philippe Lamberts, President of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament, comments:

"In Europe we know only too well what it's like to live under the threat of nuclear war and it's down to treaties such as the INF that the risk of catastrophe has been reduced. Trump's move brings the nuclear threat back to Europe with a clear risk of reverting to a battleground for the US and Russia to measure their forces. Russia is also far from innocent and we condemn that Russia may have secretly developed and deployed short range missiles that could severely threaten European security. The Russian government should immediately allow for in-depth inspections as foreseen by the INF. The Greens/EFA want a Europe free of weapons of mass destruction. The EU needs to develop a strong counter strategy on nukes.”

"After undermining peace by blowing the Iran Nuclear Deal, Donald Trump has taken one dangerous step further. His moves make the world less safe every day. We must not allow the world to return to another nuclear arms race. EU Member States have to act together now and send a clear and strong signal by signing the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. In the remaining months until the expiry date of the INF Treaty in September, the EU should make all possible efforts to build confidence between both sides to prevent a new nuclear arms race. The Greens/EFA group is strongly opposed to any nuclear armament of Europe. That's why we initiated a clause for the future European Defence Fund that excludes the funding of weapons of mass destruction."