As tensions continue to simmer between Russia and the United States over Ukraine, Moscow said on Thursday that it would consider sending military deployments to Cuba and Venezuela in response, the Associated Press reported.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov would “neither confirm not exclude” a future Russian contingent of troops being sent to Cuba and Venezuela if American talks do not prove successful and the US continues to put pressure on Russia over Ukraine.
Ryabkov headed the Russian delegation that met with its American counterpart in Geneva on Monday. The sessions ended without a resolution of Russian’s insistence on a pause on the expansion of NATO close to its boarders, as its troops remain stationed near Ukraine. The demand has been rejected outright by the White House and American allies.
The high level diplomat told the RTVI TV network that the talks “depend on the action by our US counterparts.” He noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin said that if NATO deployed missiles in Ukraine that could reach Moscow, Russian warships with similarly capable Zircon hypersonic cruise missile could be sent to neutral waters.
Putin said that Zircon missiles fly at nine times the speed of sound with a range of over 620 miles, and can also be fitted with nuclear warheads.
The missile system is planned to be fitted into Russian frigates and submarines in the coming months.
Ryabkov added that if Washington and its allies did not take seriously Russian’s concerns over NATO’s expansion into Ukraine and several other ex-Soviet countries, it would be hard pressed to continue discussions on arms control and other pressing geopolitical issues.
“The US wants to conduct a dialogue on some elements of the security situation [and] to ease the tensions and then continue the process of geopolitical and military development of the new territories, coming closer to Moscow,” he said. “We have nowhere to retreat.”