Russia Suspends Nuclear Arms Treaty Following U.S. Withdrawal Announcement

By Vladimir Soldatkin

MOSCOW – Russia has announced the suspension of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty, a Cold War-era agreement, following a statement from the United States indicating its intent to withdraw due to alleged violations by Moscow.

The relationship between Moscow and Western countries has deteriorated over several issues, including Russia’s annexation of Crimea, accusations of interference in U.S. elections, and alleged involvement in a nerve agent attack in the UK.

On Friday, the U.S. declared its intention to exit the INF treaty within six months unless Russia addresses what it claims are violations of the 1987 agreement. The U.S. stated it would reconsider its decision if Russia complied with the treaty, which prohibits both countries from deploying short- and intermediate-range land-based missiles in Europe. Russia has denied any wrongdoing regarding the treaty.

During a televised meeting with foreign and defense ministers, President Vladimir Putin stated, "The American partners have declared that they suspend their participation in the deal; we suspend it as well."

Putin indicated that Russia would commence the development of new missiles, including hypersonic weapons, and instructed his ministers not to pursue disarmament discussions with the U.S., criticizing the American response as slow.

"For many years, we have consistently raised the issue of substantial talks on disarmament," Putin remarked, adding, "In recent years, the partners have not supported our initiatives."

The treaty’s potential collapse has elicited significant concern from Europe and China. European nations fear that this could trigger a renewed arms race, potentially resulting in a new generation of U.S. nuclear missiles being deployed in Europe. China has called on the U.S. to address its disputes with Russia through dialogue.

During the meeting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the U.S. of violating the INF treaty and other arms agreements, including those related to non-proliferation.

Putin stated that Russia would not place its weapons in Europe or other regions unless the U.S. took similar actions.