US says to withdraw from arms control treaty in six months

WASHINGTON - The United States announced on Friday it will withdraw from the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia in six months unless Moscow ends its alleged violations of the landmark 1987 arms control pact.

The United States would reconsider its withdrawal if Russia, which denies violating the treaty, came into compliance with the agreement, which bans both nations from stationing short- and intermediate-range land-based missiles in Europe.

Announcing the move, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States would cease to regard itself as being bound by the treaty starting Saturday, which is when Washington will formally inform Moscow of its intent to withdraw, a senior US official told reporters.

The announcement may aim to pressure Russia to come to terms during the next six months but it also raised fears of a new US-Russian nuclear arms race in Europe as well as one between the United States and China in Asia.

US President Donald Trump repeated US allegations that Russia had violated the INF treaty, which limited only US and Russian arsenals, and he held out the prospect of negotiating a wider agreement, possibly including other nations.

"I hope that we’re able to get everybody in a big and beautiful room and do a new treaty that would be much better. Certainly I would like to see that," Trump told reporters.

Trump's tenure has been dogged by allegations that Russia interfered in the 2016 US election to help his candidacy, which Moscow denies. The dispute over INF has contributed to US-Russia frictions, now at their worst since the Cold War ended in 1991 despite Trump's stated desire for better ties.

"If Russia does not return to full and verifiable compliance with the treaty within this six-month period by verifiably destroying its INF-violating missiles, their launchers, and associated equipment, the treaty will terminate," Pompeo told reporters.

Reuters