MUNICH, February 9 (RIA Novosti) – Germany’s vice chancellor and foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Saturday called on world powers to stop a new arms race, saying Russia’s participation in the move would be required.
“We will achieve more if Russia is with us in the same boat,” he told a Munich security conference.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that a new arms race had begun, but that Russia would not allow itself to be drawn into it.
“It is clear that a new arms race has been unleashed in the world,” Putin said in a speech to the State Council, comprising ministers, governors and lawmakers.
“The developed countries…spend huge amounts of funds, many times as much as we spend, on developing weapons systems,” the president said adding Russia should show restraint and not permit itself to be drawn into costly confrontation.
“We must not allow ourselves to be drawn into this,” he said.