The secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said Friday that a 30-year-old strategic nuclear treaty “is now in danger” after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Wednesday to formally suspend Moscow’s participation in the pact.
“All members of the NATO Russia Council agree that the treaty has been crucial. … But the treaty is now in danger,” Jens Stoltenberg said at a press conference.
Moscow’s move to pull out of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) comes months after President Trump announced the U.S.’ intent to withdraw from the agreement. The Obama and Trump administrations have accused Russia of repeatedly violating the treaty.
In February, Mr. Trump declared the U.S. would be removed from the treaty in six months unless Russia comes back into compliance by destroying all of its violating missiles, launchers and associated equipment.
At the time, NATO supported the move and said that Russia “is in material breach” of the INF Treaty and must use the next six months to return to full, verifiable compliance “or bear sole responsibility for its demise.”
On Friday, Mr. Stoltenberg said “unfortunately, we have not seen any signs of a breakthrough. And time is running out.”
The treaty, which had prohibited the U.S. and Russia from building or deploying land-based missiles and launch systems with a range of 300 to 3,400 miles, was designed to block the spread of so-called “tactical nukes” around the globe, particularly in Europe, partly out of fear the less powerful bombs were more likely to be used in an actual shooting war.
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