United States President Donald Trump said he intends to exit a landmark arms control agreement the U.S. signed with the former Soviet Union. Trump says Russia is violating the pact, which he suggests is also preventing the U.S. from developing new weapons.
The 1987 pact, which helps protect the security of the U.S. and its allies in Europe and the Far East, prohibits the United States and Russia from possessing, producing or test-flying a ground-launched cruise missile with a range of 300 to 3,400 miles.
Trump said Saturday that "Russia has violated the agreement. They have been violating it for many years." The agreement has constrained the U.S. from developing new weapons, but Trump said America will begin developing them unless Russia and China agree not to possess or develop the weapons.
A top Russian diplomat called Trump's proposed withdrawal from the landmark nuclear weapons treaty a perilous move.
A Russian senator in turn said the U.S. leaving the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty would seriously undermine nuclear non-proliferation efforts. Russian Deputy Foreign, Minister Sergei Ryabkov, was quoted by state news agency, Tass, that "This would be a very dangerous step."
He says the Trump move "will cause the most serious condemnation from all members of the international community who are committed to security and stability."
Konstatin Kosachev, head of the foreign affairs committee in Russia's upper house of parliament, said on Facebook that a U.S. withdrawal from the treaty would mean "mankind is facing full chaos in the nuclear weapons sphere."
Meantime, Britain's defence secretary says the U.K. stands "absolutely resolute" with the United States as President Donald Trump announced he will pull out from the landmark arms control agreement.
Gavin Williamson blamed Russia for endangering the arms control pact, agreed between the U.S. and the Soviet Union in 1987, and called on the Kremlin to "get its house in order."
Trump said he will exit the pact because Russia has violated it "for many years" and it's preventing the U.S. from developing new weapons.
Backing Trump, Williamson told the Financial Times on Sunday that Moscow had made a "mockery" of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.