US confirms withdrawal from nuclear arms treaty with Russia

Summary:

The US national security adviser, John Bolton, confirmed that the US would withdrawal from the landmark intermediate-range nuclear forces treaty (INF) after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and senior Russian officials on 23 October 2018. On 4 December 2018 the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced a 60 days ultimatum to Russia to comply with the treaty or it will withdraw from it and produce new missiles.

Further information:

Bolton said that Russia had been violating the treaty for years. Pompeo said Russia has developed intermediate-range missiles whose range makes it a direct menace to Europe. While Moscow said the ultimatum is rude and dismissed the charges. Putin said it was 'very dangerous' to dismantle a global arms control system.

The INF Treaty was concluded in Washington in December 1987 and took effect on 1 June 1988. The INF Treaty eliminated operational and non-operational medium range (1,000-5,500 kilometers) and shorter range (500-1,000 kilometers) ground-launched missiles.

The official pullout from the INF Treaty comes on 2 August 2019, six months after the Trump administration previewed its intention to scrap the 1987 agreement, citing repeated Russian violations.

Official

US: Department of State: Treaty Between The United States Of America And The Union Of Soviet Socialist Republics On The Elimination Of Their Intermediate-Range And Shorter-Range Missiles (INF Treaty) https://www.state.gov/t/avc/trty/102360.htm#text

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News

EurActiv, 26/10/18: NATO urges Trump officials not to quit nuclear treaty https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/nato-urges-trump-officials-not-to-quit-nuclear-treaty/

Tass, 23/10/18: Putin suggests discussing US intention to withdraw from INF Treaty at meeting with Bolton http://tass.com/world/1027429

The Guardian, 23/10/18: US confirms withdrawal from nuclear arms treaty with Russia https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/23/bolton-inf-treaty-russia-putin-moscow-meeting

BBC News, 24/10/18: INF treaty: Russia 'will respond' to new US missiles in Europe https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-45971537

The Guardian, 23/10/18: EU warns Trump of nuclear arms race risk after INF withdrawal move https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/22/eu-us-nuclear-arms-race-inf-treaty-bolton-moscow

CNBC, 04/12/18: Pompeo gives Russia an ultimatum: 60 days to comply with nuclear weapons treaty or US will leave https://www.cnbc.com/2018/12/04/us-gives-russia-an-ultimatum-and-60-days-on-nuclear-weapons-treaty.html

EurActiv, 06/1218: Save US-Russia nuclear treaty, EU urges https://www.euractiv.com/section/defence-and-security/news/save-us-russia-nuclear-treaty-eu-urges/

EurActiv, 05/12/18: US gives Russia 60 days to comply with nuclear treaty https://www.euractiv.com/section/defence-and-security/news/us-gives-russia-60-days-to-comply-with-nuclear-treaty/

Deustche Welle, 02/08/2019: Russia and the US nuke 32-year-old INF treaty https://www.dw.com/en/russia-and-the-us-nuke-32-year-old-inf-treaty/a-49863508

Politico, 02/08/2019: Demise of US-Russia missile treaty sparks concerns of domino effect https://www.politico.eu/article/trump-nuclear-forces-treaty-inf-demise-of-us-russia-missile-treaty-sparks-concerns-of-domino-effect/

The Guardian, 02/08/2019: Nato and Russia trade barbs after collapse of nuclear arms treaty https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/02/nuclear-arms-treaty-dead-nato-russia-cruise-missiles

BBC News, 02/08/2019: INF nuclear treaty: Nato 'to avoid arms race' after US-Russia pact ends https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-49207281

Reuters, 02/08/2019: U.S. withdraws from Soviet-era nuclear missile accord with Russia https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-russia-arms/u-s-pulls-out-of-soviet-era-nuclear-missile-pact-with-russia-idUKKCN1US0YT

TASS, 02/08/2019: Russian Foreign Ministry confirms termination of INF Treaty https://tass.com/politics/1071582

TASS, 05/08/2019: US fails to rectify INF violations, senior Russian diplomat says https://tass.com/politics/1071893

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Commentary and Analysis

International Politics and Society, 01/11/18: A new nuclear arms race has begun https://www.ips-journal.eu/regions/global/article/show/a-new-nuclear-arms-race-has-begun-3063/

ELN: Commentary, 23/10/18: Can the INF withdrawal be a win-win for all? https://www.europeanleadershipnetwork.org/commentary/can-the-inf-withdrawal-be-a-win-win-for-all/

Carnegie Europe: Strategic Europe, 01/02/18: Washington’s New Defense Strategy: Bridging the Transatlantic Gap? http://www.europeansources.info/record/washingtons-new-defense-strategy-bridging-the-transatlantic-gap/

Chatham House: Expert Comment, 22/10/18: Pulling Out of the INF Treaty Is a Mistake That Will Affect Us All https://www.chathamhouse.org/expert/comment/pulling-out-inf-treaty-mistake-will-affect-us-all

Carnegie Europe: Strategic Europe, 25/10/18: Is a Nuclear Arms Race Avoidable? http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/77575?lang=en

Council on Foreign Relations: Backgrounder, 22/10/18: The Uncertain Future of the INF Treaty https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/uncertain-future-inf-treaty

ECFR: Commentary, 2410/18: To INF or not to INF? How unilateral withdrawal helps Moscow get away with treaty violations https://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_inf_unilateral_withdrawal_moscow_treaty_violation

Eurotopics, 05/08/2019: The INF treaty is no more https://www.eurotopics.net/en/224488/the-inf-treaty-is-no-more

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