The US threatened to initiate the withdrawal process from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty on 2 February, citing a lack of “Russian compliance”. Washington claims that Russian 9M729 missiles violate the treaty, demanding that they be destroyed. Moscow has denied the claims, and has presented the missile’s characteristics.
NATO officials have been preparing for the collapse of the INF Treaty for months, although the US hasn’t officially begun the withdrawal process from the accord, Bloomberg reported, citing an anonymous White House official. The same source added that Washington will suspend its obligations under the treaty starting 2 February unless Russia destroys the missiles and launchers, which allegedly violate the treaty, but didn’t specify whether it would also be announcing its full withdrawal.