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Russia, US working on meeting on INF Treaty, diplomat confirms

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in early December that Moscow would like to resume a substantive arms control dialogue with the US in the near future
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Sergei Fadeichev/TASS
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova
© Sergei Fadeichev/TASS

MOSCOW, January 11. /TASS/. Work is in progress on holding a Russian-US meeting on the issues related to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF)Treaty, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters at a press briefing on Friday.

"As for the INF Treaty, work is in progress on possible contacts with the US on that score. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. [Sergei] Ryabkov said on December 9 that Moscow would like to resume a substantive arms control dialogue with the US in the near future," Zakharova noted.

The INF Treaty was signed between the Soviet Union and the United States on December 8, 1987, in Washington, DC, and took effect on June 1, 1988. The INF Treaty eliminated operational and non-operational medium-range (1,000-5,500 kilometers) and shorter-range (500-1,000 kilometers) ground-launched missiles.

The US first accused Russia of violating the INF Treaty in July 2014. After that Washington has repeated its allegations several times. Moscow has rejected them striking back at Washington with counterclaims.

US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said on December 4 in Brussels that Washington would stop adhering to the treaty unless Russia returned to compliance with it within 60 days.