Kremlin: Russia will strengthen its defense capabilities in response to anti-Russian direction of new US Budget
Russia will take into account the anti-Russian direction of the US defense budget, Federation Council defense committee chairperson Viktor Bondarev told RIA Novosti.
“We cannot neglect to pay attention to something like that, or ignore such lunges,” he said, adding that such an approach to the formulation of the US budget is evidence of a serious attitude towards Russia. “The Americans sense our strength, they see us as their geopolitical rival, equal in some things and superior in others,” he emphasized.
Bondarev added that there will be no “mirror” response articles in the defense section of the Russian budget. “We will strengthen our defensive capabilities not opportunistically, but in a planned and continuous manner,” he stressed.
“Neither the intensification of the US’s joint exercises with European satellites or the expansion of NATO infrastructure constitutes a danger for us with our solid national defense system. Even the hypothetical deployment of American intermediate range weaponry in Europe would not create a threat for Russia, with its powerful anti-air defense system,” the senator said.
US President Donald Trump ratified the defense budget for $692 billion. $4.6 billion is allocated to the initiative to support allies in Europe and NATO states and to “deter Russia” (including $100 million to strengthen the defensive capabilities of the Baltic States). It also entails a prohibition on collaboration with the Russian Defense Ministry. The bill obligates the president to inform congress of any agreements with Russia in the context of the situation in Syria.