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Envoy says Russia will not deploy missiles to Belarus due to US pullout from INF Treaty

Mikhail Babich said it "was not necessary"

BREST, February 6. /TASS/. Russia is not considering the issue of deploying its missiles to Belarus in response to Washington’s withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, Russian Presidential Envoy for Trade and Economic Cooperation with Belarus, Ambassador Mikhail Babich told reporters on Wednesday.

"As for deploying missiles to Belarus, this will not happen, of course, because this is not necessary," the diplomat said.

"We (Russia and Belarus) have joint plans of the Union State's defense and security of the Union State, so all commitments to ensure security, including for Belarus, will, of course, be honored," he stressed.

On February 1, US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Michael Pompeo announced the suspension of Washington’s obligations under the INF Treaty starting February 2. Washington is determined to withdraw from the Treaty in six months' time unless Russia returns to "real and verifiable" compliance.

On February 2, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow was likewise suspending its involvement in the treaty. He handed down instructions to refrain from initiating talks with Washington on the issue and stressed that the US needed to show readiness for an equal and substantive dialogue.