WEBVTT 00:14.571 --> 00:15.404 - Good evening. 00:15.404 --> 00:18.210 The Secretary General will update you on the last 00:18.210 --> 00:20.760 session today before the welcome dinner, 00:20.760 --> 00:22.900 and then he'll be here for a couple of minutes 00:22.900 --> 00:24.100 for questions. 00:24.100 --> 00:25.280 Secretary General. 00:25.280 --> 00:26.200 - Good evening. 00:26.200 --> 00:28.510 NATO's foreign ministers have just met 00:28.510 --> 00:32.203 and discussed transatlantic security, 00:33.080 --> 00:37.100 European efforts on defense, burden sharing, 00:37.100 --> 00:41.320 and also the intermediate range nuclear forces treaty, 00:41.320 --> 00:45.650 and I will focus on the INF treaty. 00:45.650 --> 00:49.350 All allies have concluded that Russia has developed 00:49.350 --> 00:54.350 and fielded a new ground-launched cruise missile system, 00:54.580 --> 00:59.383 the SSC-8, also known as the 9M729. 01:01.940 --> 01:04.800 Allies agree that this missile system violates 01:04.800 --> 01:09.550 the INF treaty and poses significant risks 01:09.550 --> 01:12.223 to Euro-Atlantic security. 01:13.260 --> 01:17.321 And they agree that Russia is therefore in material breach 01:17.321 --> 01:21.603 of its obligations under the INF treaty. 01:23.120 --> 01:26.500 The treaty has been a pillar of Euro-Atlantic security 01:26.500 --> 01:28.910 for more than 30 years. 01:28.910 --> 01:33.220 It eliminated an entire category of weapons 01:33.220 --> 01:35.453 and made us all safer. 01:36.730 --> 01:40.400 For over five years, the United States has made 01:40.400 --> 01:43.810 every effort to engage with Russia 01:43.810 --> 01:46.743 and to seek answers about the new missile. 01:48.210 --> 01:52.170 The US has raised the matter formally with Russia 01:52.170 --> 01:55.493 at senior levels more than 30 times. 01:56.540 --> 02:00.880 Other allies have raised it with Russia, too. 02:00.880 --> 02:05.410 We did so a few weeks ago in the NATO-Russia council 02:05.410 --> 02:06.773 here in Brussels. 02:07.870 --> 02:12.300 But Russia has continued to produce and deploy 02:12.300 --> 02:13.403 the new missile. 02:15.520 --> 02:20.210 Russia's violation of the INF treaty erodes the foundations 02:20.210 --> 02:24.973 of effective arms control and undermines allied security. 02:26.770 --> 02:31.600 This is part of Russia's broader pattern of behavior 02:32.450 --> 02:35.610 intended to weaken the overall Euro-Atlantic 02:35.610 --> 02:37.213 security architecture. 02:39.185 --> 02:40.440 (clears throat) 02:40.440 --> 02:43.100 There is no question that United States 02:44.350 --> 02:46.913 fully comply with the treaty. 02:47.960 --> 02:52.610 There are no new US missiles in Europe, 02:52.610 --> 02:55.643 but there are new Russian missiles in Europe. 02:57.180 --> 03:00.470 Arms control agreements are only effective 03:00.470 --> 03:02.733 if they are respected by all sides. 03:04.490 --> 03:07.860 A situation where the US abides by the treaty 03:07.860 --> 03:11.893 and Russia does not is simply not sustainable. 03:13.290 --> 03:16.540 We call on Russia to return urgently 03:16.540 --> 03:20.593 to full and verifiable compliance with the INF treaty. 03:21.930 --> 03:25.913 It is now up to Russia to preserve the INF treaty. 03:27.830 --> 03:31.790 NATO allies remain firmly committed to preserving 03:31.790 --> 03:34.673 strategic stability and Euro-Atlantic unity. 03:35.810 --> 03:38.460 NATO will continue to ensure the credibility 03:38.460 --> 03:40.680 and the effectiveness of the alliance's 03:40.680 --> 03:43.953 overall deterrence and defense posture. 03:44.900 --> 03:47.250 We will continue to consult regularly, 03:47.250 --> 03:50.850 and we will continue to keep Russia's military posture 03:50.850 --> 03:54.063 and deployments under close review. 03:55.150 --> 03:58.970 At the same time, all allies are firmly committed 03:58.970 --> 04:01.540 to supporting and strengthening 04:01.540 --> 04:04.033 real and verifiable arms control. 04:05.630 --> 04:10.630 NATO exists to prevent conflict and preserve peace, 04:11.130 --> 04:14.713 and we seek dialogue, not confrontation, with Russia. 04:15.720 --> 04:17.930 We don't want a new arms race, 04:17.930 --> 04:20.183 we don't want a new cold war. 04:21.610 --> 04:24.710 So allies will continue to work for a better relationship 04:24.710 --> 04:27.910 with Russia, we will continue to engage, 04:27.910 --> 04:32.910 including through the meetings of the NATO-Russia council. 04:34.620 --> 04:38.530 So Russia now has a last chance to come back 04:38.530 --> 04:42.010 into compliance with the INF treaty, 04:42.010 --> 04:45.770 but we must also start to prepare 04:45.770 --> 04:47.803 for a world without the treaty. 04:48.750 --> 04:51.023 And then I'm ready to take your questions. 04:53.190 --> 04:54.753 - [Woman] Okay, Wall Street Journal.