MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia regards as dangerous a statement by Washington’s envoy to NATO who said Moscow must halt its covert development of a banned cruise missile system or the United States would seek to destroy it before it becomes operational.

The U.S. ambassador to NATO, Kay Bailey Hutchison, said on Tuesday Washington remained committed to a diplomatic solution but was prepared to consider a military strike if Russian development of the medium-range system continued.

“It seems that people who make such statements do not realize the level of their responsibility and the danger of aggressive rhetoric,” TASS news agency quoted Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova as saying.