Patrushev: hope to ink INF multilateral treaty now is delusory

Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said that it is delusory to hope that we will ink a multilateral Intermediate Nuclear Force Treaty now.

"Speaking about an intermediate-range and shorter-range missile treaty, the Americans were saying that it would be beneficial if it was multilateral, with China included in it as one of the sides. But we are aware of the Chinese statement, they do not wish to participate in this process and, therefore, it is delusory to hope that we will ink such a multilateral treaty," TASS cited him as saying.

"Why should only China [be involved], since it’s a multilateral treaty?" Patrushev said. "Why are the UK and France not considered?" he added.

The Security Council Secretary stressed that Moscow had outlined this topic, however, "the U.S. is ready to include China, which China is not striving for, and is not willing to consider" the UK and France.