Romania ‘Surprised’ by Putin’s Remarks on US Missile Defense System

Romania's Foreign Ministry said it was surprised by Russian President Vladimir Putin's stance regarding the US missile defense system recently deployed in the country.

CHISINAU (Sputnik) – Earlier this month, the US Aegis Ashore missile defense system was officially inaugurated at a military base in Romania, allegedly to protect the Eastern European country from a threat coming from the Middle East. Putin has said that the move was another step toward undermining the regional security and Russia would have to take retaliatory measures.

According to a press release issued by the Romanian ministry, Putin’s remarks "show ignorance toward the real situation that Romania and its allies have repeatedly explained, saying that the missile defense system has an exclusively defensive nature."

The ministry noted that the missile defense system "is not directed against Russia or any other country," adding that Putin’s remarks are "surprisingly put in the framework of the regional security aspect."

Since 2014, NATO, and the United States in particular, has been building up its military presence in Europe, particularly in eastern European countries bordering Russia, using Moscow's alleged interference in Ukraine's affairs as a pretext for the move.

Russia has repeatedly warned that NATO's military build-up in Europe is provocative and can result in regional and global destabilization.