Moscow reiterates its position on INF Treaty amid uncertain US commitment

Moscow does not understand why US leadership wants to eliminate the existing international arms non-proliferation regime and is approaching the matter with concern, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the Agi news agency in an interview, Sputnik reports.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed that Russia and the United States have the largest nuclear potentials and thus bear a special responsibility to maintain global security, adding further that "the desire of US leadership to reformat, and in fact, eliminate the existing international regime for the non-proliferation of weapons" makes Moscow confused and concerned." 

Lavrov also recalled that US President Donald Trump had announced in October Washington's intention to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) noting that "some people in the US political establishment" were also calling into question the extension of the New START Treaty [Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty], which expires in 2021. Lavrov further stated that Moscow considered this 'school of thought' to be 'short-sighted and dangerous." 

Meanwhile, according to the minister, the number of threats and challenges requiring joint work between Russia and the United States, from combating terrorism to resolving regional crises and climate issues, is not decreasing.