Russia warns against US missile deployment in Europe
Russia has warned the United States of consequences if Washington deploys nuclear-capable missiles in Europe in violation of a Cold War-era arms ban treaty.
"It is clear that such actions would mean complete destruction by the American side of the regime of the [1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF)] treaty with all its attendant consequences," Russia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement released on Thursday.
The statement also called on the US “to ensure the full implementation of the INF, [and] not to threaten the feasibility of this document.”
In 1987, then US and Russian leaders - President Ronald Reagan and President Mikhail Gorbachev - signed the INF treaty, which required the two states to eliminate their nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with intermediate range of 500-5,500 kilometers.
Under the pact, nearly 2,700 intermediate-range missiles were scrapped by the United States and the former Soviet Union.
But Moscow and Washington have started accusing each other of violating the arms control accord.
Earlier this month, US officials said the government is considering plans to return nuclear-capable medium-range missiles to Europe in response to Russia's alleged violation of the INF treaty.
The developments come as relations between Washington and Moscow have reached been deteriorating over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine's eastern regions.
SSM/KA/HMV
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