BRUSSELS: NATO said Friday that it is concerned about a Russian missile system that could carry nuclear warheads, and which it says could violate a landmark Cold War arms treaty.
The U.S.-led military alliance said in a statement that "allies have identified a Russian missile system that raises serious concerns."
It urged Russia "to address these concerns in a substantial and transparent way, and actively engage in a technical dialogue with the United States."
NATO fears the system contravenes the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty. It provided no details about the missiles.
The Cold War-era pact bans an entire class of weapons — all land-based cruise missiles with a range between 500 and 5,500 kilometers (310-3,410 miles).
The statement said a situation whereby the U.S. and other parties abided by the treaty but Russia was not "would be a grave and urgent concern."
Russia has claimed that U.S. missile defenses violate the pact. In the past, the Obama administration worked to convince Moscow to respect the INF treaty but seemed to make no progress.
U.S. envoy to NATO, Kay Bailey Hutchison, described Russia's behavior as "dangerous and destabilizing."
"Our Allies reaffirmed that the U.S. is in compliance with our obligations under the INF Treaty and that Russia's behavior raises serious concerns," she said in a statement.