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WORLD NEWS Monday 4 February 2019

Russia to pull plug on nuclear arms pact after US does same

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV of the pact by Moscow
Associated Press were intended to shift the
MOSCOW (AP) — Follow- blame for the pact’s de-
ing in the footsteps of the mise to Russia.
U.S., Russia will abandon a The Russian Defense Minis-
centerpiece nuclear arms try on Saturday released a
treaty but will only deploy satellite image of what it
intermediate-range nucle- described as new produc-
ar missiles if Washington tion facilities at the U.S. mis-
does so, President Vladimir sile maker Raytheon’s plant
Putin said Saturday. in Tucson, Arizona, noting
President Donald Trump that their expansion began
accused Moscow on Fri- in 2017 as the Congress au-
day of violating the 1987 thorized spending for the
Intermediate-Range Nu- development of intermedi-
clear Forces treaty with ate-range missiles.
“impunity” by deploying “The character and the
banned missiles. Trump said timing of the works provide
in a statement that the U.S. an irrefutable proof that the
will “move forward” with U.S. administration had de-
developing its own military cided to pull out of the INF
response options to Russia’s treaty years before making
new land-based cruise mis- unfounded claims of Rus-
siles that could target West- Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, speaks to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during a meeting in sian violations,” it said.
ern Europe. the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019. Putin has argued it makes
Moscow has strongly de- Associated Press no sense for Russia to de-
nied any breaches and ac- they only take a few min- opment, and we will act part of the Iskander-M mis- ploy a ground-based
cused Washington of mak- utes to reach their targets, accordingly.” The U.S. has sile system, has a maximum cruise missile violating the
ing false accusations in or- leaving no time for deci- accused Russia of devel- range of 480 kilometers treaty because it has such
der to justify its pullout. sion-makers and raising the oping and deploying a (298 miles). Russian officials weapons on ships and air-
U.S. Secretary of State Mike likelihood of a global nu- cruise missile that violates claimed the U.S. assertions craft, which aren’t banned
Pompeo, in explaining clear conflict over a false provisions of the pact that about the alleged breach by the pact.q
that Washington on Satur- launch warning. After the ban production, testing
day formally suspended its U.S. gave notice of its inten- and deployment of land-
treaty obligations, said in tion to withdraw, Putin said based cruise and ballistic
a statement that Russia’s Russia would do the same. missiles with a range of 500
“continued noncompli- He ordered the develop- to 5,500 kilometers (310 to
ance has jeopardized the ment of new land-based 3,410 miles). Trump’s move
United States’ supreme in- intermediate-range weap- also reflected his admin-
terests.” He said the treaty ons, but emphasized that istration’s view that the
will terminate in six months Russia won’t deploy them pact was an obstacle to
unless Moscow returns to in the European part of the efforts needed to counter
“full and verifiable compli- country or elsewhere unless intermediate-range missiles
ance.” The collapse of the the U.S. does so. deployed by China, which
INF Treaty has raised fears “We will respond quid isn’t part of the treaty.
of a repeat of a Cold War pro quo,” Putin said. “Our NATO allies have strongly
showdown in the 1980s, American partners have backed Washington and
when the U.S. and the So- announced they were sus- urged Moscow to save the
viet Union both deployed pending their participation treaty by returning to com-
intermediate-range mis- in the treaty, and we will pliance.
siles on the continent. Such do the same. They have Russia has rejected the U.S.
weapons were seen as announced they will con- claims of violation, charg-
particularly destabilizing as duct research and devel- ing that the missile, which is