WASHINGTON: The U.S. announced that it will suspend its participation in a ballistic missile treaty February 2 over alleged Russian violations of the pact.
In announcing the departure, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Russia of consistently violating the terms of the landmark 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty "without remorse," and said Moscow remains in "material breach" of its obligations.
The formal exit has been expected for nearly four months. President Donald Trump announced in October that Washington would be exiting the INF Treaty which eliminated all U.S. and Russian ground-launched cruise missiles with ranges of 310-3,420 miles (500-5,500 kilometers) and their launchers, citing alleged Russian violations of the pact.
Pompeo in December gave Russia 60 days to return to fall into compliance with the agreement, but said Friday it had not done so.
"Russia has refused to take any steps to return real and verifiable compliance over these 60 days," he said.
The withdraw will be effective within six months of Feb. 2 under the terms of the treaty. Trump and his senior officials have voiced concern that China, which is not a party to the pact, has been developing weapons that would be banned under the agreement at a time when the U.S. has been effectively locked out.
APP/AFP