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Kremlin sees US allegations on INF treaty compliance as gimmick for more sanctions

The Kremlin comments on the White House directive to draw up a plan for additional restrictions on Moscow over alleged violations of the 1987 INF Treaty

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov Mikhail Metzel/TASS

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov

© Mikhail Metzel/TASS

SOCHI, May 17. /TASS/. The Kremlin sees US President Donald Trump’s instructions to draft a plan for more sanctions against Moscow over alleged violations of the INF treaty of 1987 as a pretext for imposing more sanctions, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media on Thursday.

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"It goes without saying that we do believe so. Russia has said more than once that we dismiss any accusations Russia is in breach of this treaty," he said, when asked if the Kremlin believed that in this way Washington was looking for a pretext for more restrictive measures against Russia.

Peskov said that "Russia strictly adheres to its obligations under this treaty and is determined to stand by its commitments, so such instructions cannot but cause bewilderment."

He added that Moscow would be waiting for substantive consequences of President’s Trump’s instructions before considering retaliatory measures.

"Let us wait for some substantive effects of this instruction. Discussing anything hypothetically is hardly possible," he said, adding that Moscow disagreed "with the very wording of this issue."

Continued US threats of using sanctions against Russia caused Moscow’s disappointment.

"Washington’s obsession with sanctions is well-known and it cannot but make us feel regret," Peskov said.

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