MOSCOW, September 25. /TASS/.The Intermediate Nuclear Force (INF) Treaty may collapse if the dilemma over the US missile defense in Eastern Europe remains unresolved, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Department, Vladimir Yermakov, told the media on Tuesday
"Such US launchers are deployed in Romania, and soon they will surface in Poland. If this problem remains unresolved, the treaty may be ruined. Clearly, the United States will be the one responsible for its collapse," he cautioned.
"We will be prepared for discussing the future of the treaty with Washington at any time and in any way," Yermakov vowed, adding that the United States continued to stoke accusations that Russia was in violation of the INF treaty.
"There are no reasons to say that Russia is in breach of this treaty," he specified.
The INF treaty was concluded in Washington on December, 8 1987. The United States for the first time accused Russia of violating it in July 2014. Washington has repeated the charges, which Moscow firmly dismissed. Russia has put forward its own counter-claims over US compliance with the INF treaty.
The US Department of State last December warned that Washington would take economic and military measures, if Moscow refused to resume compliance with its obligations under the treaty. Washington said it was beginning "research and development (R&D) by reviewing military concepts and options for conventional, ground-launched, intermediate-range missile systems."
"Should Russia’s actions result in the collapse of the Treaty, these efforts will prepare the United States to defend itself and its allies," the US Department of State said.