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Senior diplomat slams US accusations concerning INF Treaty as cheap political routine

Sergei Ryabkov commented on Trump’s order to draw up a plan for a new round of anti-Russian sanctions in response to Moscow’s alleged non-compliance with INF Treaty provisions

MOSCOW, May 17. /TASS/. US accusations against Russia regarding compliance with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) are cheap political routine, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters on Thursday.

"I can describe all that in three words - cheap political routine," he stressed commenting on US President Donald Trump’s order to draw up a plan for a new round of anti-Russian sanctions in response to Moscow’s alleged non-compliance with INF Treaty provisions.

He added that there are no signs of progress "in terms of overcoming the problems created by the Americans." Ryabkov stressed that "the United States accuses Russia, without furnishing any evidence, of violating the treaty and does not respond to the initiatives to tackle the INF Treaty issue, specifically, to resolve Moscow’s concern over Washington’s well-known steps."

"We will keep a close eye on further steps. Nothing can be ruled out," he noted. "Anti-Russian sanctions have been extended twelve times under the current [US] administration. It is clear that there are no signs indicating that this spiral, which has gained momentum, will stop any time soon."