US State Department sets conditions for negotiations with Russia on INF Treaty
The "Russia 24" TV channel reported on the statement of the US State Department that Washington is ready to negotiate with Russia on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, but under certain conditions.
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| Headquarters of the US Department of State. Photo: AP |
The department stated that the condition for negotiations was the ability to conduct unhindered inspections for the purpose of "the security of the United States and its partners."
Earlier, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on suspending the Treaty until the United States eliminates its violations of its obligations under the agreement or completely terminates the treaty.
The Soviet Union and the United States signed the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Nuclear Missiles in 1987. By June 1991, the agreement had been implemented: the Soviet Union had destroyed 1,846 missile systems, the United States 846.
However, on February 2, 2019, after a series of mutual accusations of violating the treaty, President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal from the INF. At the same time, Russia has repeatedly stated that Moscow strictly complies with its obligations under the agreement.
