Russia's violation of an arms control treaty was "untenable" and unless it changed course the United States would need to match Moscow's capabilities, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Thursday.

The United States suspects Russia of developing a land-based cruise missile system, believing that this could allow Moscow to launch a quick nuclear strike on Europe, Reuters reported. 

"Russia must return to compliance with the INF treaty or the U.S. will need to match its capabilities to protect U.S. and NATO interests. The United States is reviewing options in our diplomacy and defence posture to do just that. Make no mistake: The current situation, with Russia in blatant violation of this treaty, is untenable," Mattis said.

Earlier, the US Permanent Representative to NATO, Kay Bailey Hutchison, said that Russia must stop the secret development of the banned system of cruise missiles, otherwise Washington will try to destroy it before putting it into operation.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Maria Zakharova, Hutchison’s statement are aggressive, destructive and dangerous.

Hutchison later explained that she did not mean a preventive strike against Russia.