US to formally abandon INF missile treaty
(VOVWORLD) - The US will officially withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty on Friday, clearing the way for a new arms race with Russia.
The treaty – concluded by then US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987 – limited the Cold War powers' medium-range missiles.
Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump's administration announced its intention to ditch the agreement, accusing Moscow of repeatedly violating its terms – a charge Russia denied.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a bill suspending Moscow's participation in the treaty last month.
Unless something changes in the coming days, the mutual withdrawal will spell the end of the deal, which eliminated ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges of 500 to 5,500 kilometers.