What Does the End of the INF Treaty Mean for Nuclear Disarmament?

The State Dept. announced Friday that the U.S. is following through with its planned withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty “due to the Russian Federation’s continuing violation of the treaty.”

A statement from Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that “Russia is solely responsible for the treaty’s demise” because of its recent development of a ground-launched, intermediate-range cruise missile which violates the INF Treaty ban on ground-launched nuclear & conventional missiles with ranges between 310 and 3,420 miles. Pompeo’s statement read in part read in part:

“The United States will not remain party to a treaty that is deliberately violated by Russia. Russia’s noncompliance under the treaty jeopardizes U.S. supreme interests as Russia’s development and fielding of a treaty-violating missile system represents a direct threat to the United States and our allies and partners.”

Both the U.S. and Russia have expressed interest in a new arms agreement if it includes China, which wasn’t a party to the INF Treaty and most of it's nuclear arsenal wouldn't comply with its requirements. Pompeo’s statement explicitly called on “Russia and China to join us in this opportunity to deliver real security results to our nations and the entire world.”

— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: Max Smith via Wikimedia / Public Domain)