Russia to pull plug on pact
MOSCOW — Following in the footsteps of the
U.S., Russia will abandon a centrepiece nuclear arms treaty but will only deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles if Washington does so, President Vladimir Putin said Saturday.
President Donald Trump accused Moscow Friday of violating the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty with “impunity.”
Trump said in a statement that the U.S. will “move forward” on its own military response options to Russia’s new land-based cruise missiles that could target western Europe.
Moscow has strongly denied any breaches and accused Washington of making false accusations to justify its pullout.
The U.S. has accused Russia of developing and deploying a cruise missile that violates provisions of the pact.