US threatens to end treaty: Kremlin predicts new nuclear arms race

policy

Monday, October 22, 2018

US President Trump threatens to withdraw from the INF disarmament agreement with Russia this weekend. His security advisor, Bolton, must now explain the controversial plan in Moscow. The Kremlin already dares to look to the future.

Russia warned against a new arms race if the United States – as announced by President Donald Trump – withdrew from the FNI disarmament treaty. At the same time, however, the Kremlin has expressed its willingness to discuss with the United States in order to solve the problems that both countries would face when implementing the agreement.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Trump's waiver of the ban on mid-range land-based weapons would make the world more dangerous. Russia would then be forced to take steps to restore the military balance.

Peskov also prophesized that the United States wanted to develop exactly those weapons systems banned by the agreement after an exit from the INF treaty. The United States systematically violates the agreement itself for years, for example with the development of rocket powered UAVs. In case of exit from the treaty, Russia must take measures to ensure its own security, he said.

At the same time, the confidant of President Vladimir Putin pointed out that the United States has so far not communicated draft termination of the contract as agreed in the contract. Russia expects Trump's security advisor, John Bolton, to provide an explanation of Trump's decision during his visit to Moscow. Bolton will also meet Putin on Tuesday.

Von der Leyen expresses his concern

Its security advisor, Nikolai Patrushov, was quoted by Russian news agencies after a meeting with Bolton, saying that Russia was ready to discuss the gaps of both parties in the INF treaty. He also spoke to Bolton about the possibility of extending the START Treaty for the Strategic Nuclear Reduction Treaty by five years, which will expire in 2021.

Bolton told Echo Moskwy radio: "We are ready to negotiate, the time has come for this process and we now understand Russia's position better". It is a matter of clarifying them and clarifying the details. The possibility of a summit meeting between the two countries was also discussed. The decision belongs to Putin, Bolton told the newspaper "Kommersant". Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stressed that Moscow is always ready for a dialogue with Washington. The chief diplomat also met Bolton in the evening.

The United States wants to officially inform its NATO partners of their plans later this week. According to diplomatic sources, this information should be provided at a meeting of the North Atlantic Council. German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen has called on all NATO countries to speak. "For us Europeans, the INF Treaty is an essential element of our security, which is why it must now also aim to find ways to preserve this security," said the political officer of the CDU. At the same time, development called it "disturbing," even though it had already become apparent.

For years, mutual allegations

The INF Treaty was closed in 1987 during the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. It has been in force since 1988 and provides for the elimination of land-based missiles and short and medium-range cruise missiles (500 to 5,500 km). For the first time, the treaty banned two categories of nuclear weapons, which were then called a double zero solution. The destruction of these weapons was controlled one by the other.

The United States and Russia have been accusing themselves for several years of violating the INF Treaty. For example, Putin accused the United States of violating the agreement on the deployment of missile defense systems in Eastern Europe, since cruise missiles could also be launched from these launchers. For their part, the United States accuses Russia of developing and deploying SSC-8 cruise missiles since 2014. They are supposed to be within their reach under the prohibition of the INF contract. Russia denies this.

China criticizes the US plan

China has also criticized the US action. Foreign Ministry spokesman Hua Chunyin rejected the US statement that China's rearmament had something to do with it. "It is totally wrong to involve China in the withdrawal of the treaty". The treaty between the United States and Russia is an important disarmament agreement and has played a major role in maintaining the strategic balance. A unilateral departure from the United States will have "many negative effects". The United States must handle this treaty with caution, the spokeswoman said.

Trump had said this weekend that his government would manufacture the weapons currently banned if Russia and China did not accept a new agreement. The United States is concerned that the agreement prevents them from opposing the modernization of China because it is not a contracting party. In Europe, the announcement of Trump has sparked strong criticism. Federica Mogherini, head of EU foreign policy, said earlier this week: "The world does not need a new arms race that will benefit no one and, at the same time, otherwise, will increase instability ".

Source: n-tv.de