Washington DC, August 2: The United States is preparing to officially withdraw from the cold war-era treaty with Russia, further raising fears of a new nuclear race, according to BBC news reports.
The landmark 2015 Intermediate Nuclear Force (INF) Treaty was inked by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and former US President Ronald Reagan in 1987, which ceased nuclear missiles with a range in between 500-5,000 Kilometres (310-3,4000 miles).
The US and Russia relations have become icy since last year’s October when US President Donald Trump has alleged Moscow of violating the INF pact and threatened to withdraw from the pact with Moscow.
In 2018 December, Pompeo has said that Washington will suspend its adherence to the pact within the upcoming 60 days until Moscow did not return to full compliance with the agreement.
Early in February, the United States President Donald Trump has suspended its obligations towards the INF pact after Russia was unable to comply with accord until 60 days threat. The treaty was aimed at curbing the nuclear arms race between the US and the USSR.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had on February 20, announced that Russia will retaliate with weapons if the US deploys any intermediate-range missiles in Europe.
In March, Putin had signed an order halting Moscow’s compliances with INF Treaty with the immediate effect and suspends the implementation of the pact between the Soviet Union and the United States of America.
The Pentagon has said in March the US has begun its process developing new missiles following Trump’s decision to halt the INF Treaty with Russia, adding that those missiles are non-nuclear as well as under the treaty.