Russia ‘no longer considers itself bound’ by nuclear pact with US
(MENAFN) Russia has officially declared that it no longer considers itself bound by the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with the United States. According to a statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry, the conditions that previously justified Moscow’s self-imposed moratorium on deploying such weapons have disappeared.
The INF Treaty, which prohibited ground-launched missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers, effectively collapsed in 2019 after the US withdrew, citing Russian violations—claims Moscow has denied. Russian officials instead accused Washington of breaching the agreement by developing prohibited missile systems. President Vladimir Putin previously warned that the treaty’s breakdown would seriously weaken global security.
The Foreign Ministry highlighted growing threats posed by the West, particularly the deployment of the US Typhon missile launcher in the Philippines and its use in the Talisman Sabre military exercise in Australia. The Typhon system is capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles (up to 1,800 km) and SM-6 missiles (up to 500 km). The statement also pointed to Australia’s recent testing of the US-made Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), which exceeds 500 km in range and is central to strengthening Australia’s strike capabilities.
Moscow indicated that decisions on how to respond will be made based on a comprehensive assessment of Western missile deployments and the broader international security environment. The Kremlin has repeatedly warned it may lift its moratorium, particularly in light of US plans to station long-range missiles in Germany by 2026. Putin has confirmed Russia is already developing new intermediate- and shorter-range missile systems and may consider deploying them in the Asia-Pacific region.
Meanwhile, former US President Donald Trump, who withdrew the US from both the INF and the Open Skies Treaty during his first term, has expressed openness to resuming nuclear arms control talks with Russia.
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