Russia Hits Back after U.S. Says It Breached Key Nuclear Treaty
Russia remains "in material breach" of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the U.S. said Tuesday, raising the prospect that Washington will follow through on threats to ditch the agreement over alleged violations by Moscow.
U.S. and Russian diplomats met in Geneva amid widespread concern over the fate of the bilateral agreement, after U.S. President Donald Trump said in October his country would pull out of the deal unless Russia lived up to its terms.
"The meeting was disappointing as it is clear Russia continues to be in material breach of the Treaty and did not come prepared to explain how it plans to return to full and verifiable compliance," U.S. Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, Andrea Thompson, said in a statement.
"Our message was clear: Russia must destroy its noncompliant missile system," she added.
Russia hosted the talks at its mission in Geneva and Moscow's delegation was led by deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov.
Ahead of the talks Ryabkov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying he was not optimistic for progress.
"Recently we have noted that the American side has even hardened its tone, we see that as not a very favorable signal," he said Monday, according to Interfax.
After the talks, Ryabkov blamed Washington for the looming collapse of the deal.
"Responsibility for this fully and completely rests with the American side," Russian news agencies quoted him as saying after the talks in Geneva.
Ryabkov said the parties had failed to agree on anything and Washington did not appear to be in the mood for more negotiations.
"We are forced to acknowledge that there is no movement forward," he was quoted as saying.
The U.S. side said the meeting in Geneva was "disappointing."
Last month Washington said it would withdraw from the INF treaty within 60 days if Russia did not dismantle missiles that the U.S. claims breach the deal.
Ryabkov slammed the U.S. negotiators for their "uncompromising stand."
He said Americans had confirmed Washington's intention to exit the treaty from February 2.
He said Russia proposed holding another round of talks on the agreement but got no reply from the U.S. side.
"We are ready for dialogue on the basis of equality, mutual respect, (and) without putting forward ultimatums," Ryabkov said.
On Friday Russia plans to brief European diplomats on the status of the talks, he said.
Tensions have risen over the fate of the INF, with Russian President Vladimir Putin threatening a new arms race if the agreement collapsed.
Putin in December suggested he was open to the idea of other countries joining the INF treaty or to starting talks on a new agreement.
The bilateral agreement -- signed by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987 -- forbids ground-launched short- and intermediate-range missiles.
It put an end to a mini-arms race in the 1980s triggered by the Soviet Union's deployment of SS-20 nuclear missiles targeting Western European capitals.
Last month, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Washington would withdraw within 60 days from the Cold War treaty limiting mid-range nuclear arms if Russia does not dismantle missiles that the U.S. claims breach the deal.
Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to the U.S. hardline by threatening to develop more nuclear missiles banned under the treaty.
Source: Agence France Presse
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