Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a joint news conference with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte following their talks at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia October 24, 2018. Sergei Chirikov/Pool via REUTERS
MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Russia plans to commission new military weapons that would be unrivaled throughout the world.
Putin's statement follows U.S. President Donald Trump's announcement that he intends to opt out of a 1987 nuclear arms control pact due to alleged Russian violations.
Putin has denied any breaches and accused Washington of violating the pact.
"Russia doesn't threaten anyone, and has strictly adhered to its obligations in the sphere of international security and arms control," he reiterated while speaking at a meeting with top military officers and law enforcement officials.
At the same time, Putin said Russian arsenals would be modernized to ensure protection from potential threats. The new Russian weapons "significantly excel foreign designs and are simply unrivaled," he said.
His comments came as NATO's biggest military maneuvers since the Cold War kicked off Thursday in Norway with about 55,000 military personnel.
