Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed meeting with the Defense Ministry leaders on Monday to discuss Russia’s countermeasures regarding the US exit from the INF Treaty.
„We are ready to engage in dialogue on this key issue with the US partners. We hope that they will approach with full responsibility. Because the decision of the United States to withdraw from the (INF) contract can and will undoubtedly not remain without our country’s reaction, „he said.
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After the unilateral termination of the INF Treaty by the US, Moscow announced „openly and honestly“ that it was forced to take countermeasures, the Russian President emphasized.
„That was done too. Now Russia has hypersonic weapons that can overcome any missile defense system. We hope that common sense and mutual responsibility will underpin the matured dialogue on issues of strategic stability and the strengthening of the collective security system, „Putin said.
President Donald Trump announced that the United States had opted out of the Washington Treaty on Mid-Range Nuclear Systems (INF). The INF Treaty was signed in 1987 by the Soviet Union and the United States and entered into force in 1988. With the contract, the parties had committed to destroy all missiles medium and shorter range (from 500 to 5500 kilometers). In recent years, Moscow and Washington have repeatedly accused each other of violating the INF Treaty.
Among other things, Moscow pointed out that the US is stationing plants in Rumania and Poland to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles. In addition, Russia pointed out that the US is developing combat drones and funding research into the development of ground-based cruise missiles.
