Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev was entrusted to the Associated Press during an interview at the headquarters of his foundation in Moscow on December 9, 2016.(Photo: Ivan Sekretarev, AP)

MOSCOW – US National Security Advisor John Bolton faces two days of high-voltage talks in Moscow early Monday after President Donald Trump announces his intention to withdraw from a treaty history of nuclear weapons.

Trump announces that The United States would leave the Middle-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which sparked fierce criticism on Sunday by Russian officials and former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, who signed the treaty in 1987 with the United States. President Ronald Reagan.

Trump said that Russia had violated the terms of the treaty banning the United States and Russia from owning, producing or testing ground-launched nuclear-launched cruise missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 km.

Russia has repeatedly denied allegations that it produced and tested such a missile.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov reportedly told the official Tass news agency that the abandonment of the treaty "would be a very dangerous step."

This "would result in the most serious condemnation of all members of the international community who are committed to security and stability".

More: Trump says the United States will withdraw from the nuclear deal with Russia that limits the number of missiles

Konstatin Kosachev, chairman of the foreign affairs committee of the upper house of the Russian parliament, said on Facebook that a US withdrawal from the treaty would mean "that humanity is facing total chaos in the field nuclear weapons ".

"Washington's desire to go backwards can not be supported, not only Russia, but all who cherish the world, especially a world without nuclear weapons, must declare it," Gorbachev said. Interfax news agency.

The western reaction was mixed.

British Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson said the UK was "absolutely resolute" with Washington on this issue and called on the Kremlin to "put its affairs in order," according to the Financial Times .

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Trump's announcement "raises tough questions for us and for Europe", but said Russia has not clarified its claims of violation of the treaty.

The Kremlin did not comment directly on Trump's statement, but spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Sunday that "after the latest statements, explanations from the US side will be needed". Bolton and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet on Tuesday. On Monday, Bolton meets Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The prospect of withdrawing from the INF adds to the substantial tensions between Washington and Moscow, including allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and sanctions imposed for its involvement in the conflict in the east of Ukraine.

The United States announced Friday criminal proceedings against a Russian for their attempts to influence the mid-term elections next month.

The treaty helps protect the security of the United States and its allies in Europe and the Far East, but has prevented the United States from developing new weapons.

The United States will start developing them unless Russia and China agree not to own or develop weapons, Trump said. China is not party to the pact.

"We will have to develop these weapons, unless Russia comes to see us and China comes to see us and we all come and say," Let's be really smart and do not develop these weapons, "but if Russia does, and if China does it and we adhere to the agreement, it is unacceptable, "he said.

Trump did not provide details of the violations. But in 2017, national security officials at the White House said that Russia had deployed a cruise missile in violation of the treaty. Earlier, the Obama administration had accused the Russians of violating the pact by developing and testing a banned cruise missile.

Russia has repeatedly denied that it has violated the treaty and accused the United States of not complying with it.

Defense Secretary James Mattis has already suggested that a Trump administration proposal to add a cruise missile launched by the sea to Washington's nuclear arsenal could give the US the necessary influence to to convince Russia to align itself with the treaty.

The Russian Foreign Minister said in February that the country would consider using nuclear weapons only in response to a nuclear attack or other weapon of mass destruction, or in response to a non-nuclear assault endangering the survival of the Russian nation.

Trump's decision could lead to controversy with European allies and others who see the value of the treaty, said Steven Pifer, former US ambassador to Ukraine and currently principal investigator at the Brookings Institution, specializing in arms control nuclear.

"Once the United States withdrew from the treaty, there will be no reason for Russia to claim to respect the limits," he wrote in a message posted on the US website. # 39; organization. "Moscow will be free to deploy the 9M729 cruise missile and, if it wishes, a mid-range ballistic missile, without any constraints."

In the past, the Obama administration has tried to convince Moscow to respect the INF treaty, but has made little progress.

"If they become intelligent and if others are, and say," Do not develop these horrible nuclear weapons ", I would be extremely happy, but as long as someone will violate the We will not be the only ones to join, "said Trump.

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