Nominated by the President of the United States Donald Trump for the post of the United States Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has promised to comply with Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (DRSMD) to 2 August this year, after which the United States plans to withdraw from it.
At a hearing in the Senate, where he considered his candidacy for the post of head of the Pentagon, Esper said, the US will continue to comply with all their obligations under the INF Treaty to 2 August, then begin to pursue their own interests. According to him, after emerging from the INF Treaty, the United States will develop the elements of a missile defense to intercept rockets, subject to the INF Treaty, as well as develop their own missile.
Developed missiles are directed against China and Russia, if, God forbid, we have ever fight against them
– said Zsper.
He also stressed the importance of military deterrence Russia, what needs to be maintained ready for combat conventional and nuclear forces, as one of the most effective deterrent against Russian aggression.
It is the combination of all our activities in Europe – together with our allies – It allows us to effectively curb Russian aggression
– claims Esper.
Mark Esper has been appointed as the new Acting. US Secretary of Defense instead of Patrick Shanahan, who refused to undergo the approval process in the US Senate and the Pentagon has left due to family scandals in the past. From the end 2018 of the year, after, as the retired James Mattis, the US has no permanent defense minister.
