U.S. Announces Withdrawal from Arms Control Treaty in Six Months, According to Reuters

By Lesley Wroughton and Arshad Mohammed

WASHINGTON – The United States has announced plans to withdraw from the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) with Russia in six months, unless Russia ceases its alleged violations of the 1987 arms control agreement.

The U.S. stated it would reconsider its decision if Russia, which denies violating the treaty, comes back into compliance. The INF treaty prohibits both nations from deploying short- and intermediate-range land-based missiles in Europe.

In a statement regarding the planned withdrawal, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicated that the U.S. would no longer consider itself bound by the treaty as of Saturday, which is when official communication will be sent to Moscow.

This announcement appears to be a strategic move aimed at pressuring Russia during the next six months. However, it has also sparked concerns about the potential for a renewed nuclear arms race between the U.S. and Russia in Europe, as well as one between the U.S. and China in Asia.

President Donald Trump reiterated U.S. claims of Russian treaty violations and expressed hopes for a broader negotiation that would include additional nations. “I hope that we’re able to get everybody in a big and beautiful room and do a new treaty that would be much better,” he stated.

Trump’s presidency has been overshadowed by allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election, which Moscow denies. Tensions between the U.S. and Russia have deteriorated significantly since the end of the Cold War, despite Trump’s expressed desire for improved relations.

Pompeo emphasized, "If Russia does not return to full and verifiable compliance with the treaty within this six-month period by verifiably destroying its INF-violating missiles, their launchers, and associated equipment, the treaty will terminate."

Russian officials have accused the U.S. of creating a false pretext to leave the treaty, suggesting that the U.S. desires to develop new missiles. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov expressed regret over the anticipated U.S. decision and claimed that Washington had shown an unwillingness to engage in meaningful negotiations.

The U.S. has highlighted concerns over a new Russian cruise missile, the Novator 9M729 (known as SSC-8 by NATO), which allegedly violates the treaty’s terms. The treaty mandates the destruction of ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 km. A senior Russian military official recently claimed that the new missile’s range does not exceed the treaty’s lower limit. Russia has resisted U.S. calls to eliminate the missile.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated that the alliance has no plans to deploy new land-based nuclear weapons in Europe but emphasized the importance of maintaining credible deterrence without mirroring Russian actions.

France and Germany underscored the need to utilize the six-month period for continued dialogue.

The U.S. withdrawal could offer the Pentagon new options to address advancements in Chinese missile technology, but experts caution that such an arms race could heighten tensions in the Asia-Pacific region.

A senior U.S. official confirmed that on Saturday, the U.S. would formally notify Russia of its intent to exit the treaty in six months, framing it as a "final chance" for compliance, although expressing skepticism about Russia’s willingness to adhere to the treaty.

Additionally, the administration is contemplating whether to extend the "New Start" arms control treaty, which came into effect in 2011 and caps the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads for both nations at 1,550—the lowest number in decades. This treaty can be extended for five years by mutual agreement and is set to expire in February 2021.