Washington has suspended its participation in the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), State Secretary Mike Pompeo has said, adding that the US might still return to compliance in 180 days if Moscow meets its demands.
“The US… suspends its obligations under the INF Treaty effective February 2,” Pompeo told journalists during a briefing.
He also said that Washington will notify Russia and other states that it fully withdraws from the accord in six months.
Pompeo repeatedly blamed Moscow for this development while accusing it of “brazenly” and “shamelessly” violating the agreement. He also once again issued an ultimatum to Moscow.
“If Russia does not return to full and verifiable compliance with the treaty within the six-month period by verifiably destroying its INF-violating missiles, their launchers and associated equipment, the treaty will terminate,” he said.
At the same time, he still claimed that the US “is hoping that we can put our relationship with Russia on a better footing.” However, he said that Moscow should change its course from what he called “destabilizing activity not only on this issue but on other issues as well.”
Also on rt.com Russia to work on keeping INF Treaty even if US withdraws from it – deputy FM
Signed by the US and the USSR back in 1987, the INF Treaty has been a cornerstone of European security for years. The agreement banned ground-based missiles with a range between 500km and 5,500km – plenty of which had been deployed by both sides of the Cold War at that time.
Over recent years, the US has been accusing Russia of violating the accord by building missiles it prohibited – something that Moscow vehemently denied.
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This story was originally published by RT
via USAHint.com
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