MOSCOW, November 19. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s initiative to declare a moratorium on the deployment of shorter-and intermediate-range missiles in Europe is still in force, with its topicality only growing in the present-day conditions, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told TASS on Friday.
"The president’s initiative on reciprocal moratoriums is still in force. Moreover, it has become more topical in the current conditions. And we are convinced that healthy forces, including within NATO, who see the pernicious effects on European security of the prospects for the turning of our continent into a Cold War-style arena of confrontation, will draw conclusions and finally demonstrate the political will for continuing the dialogue on this topic," he said.
"We have repeatedly said we are ready to negotiate all other aspects linked with the implementation of this initiative, including the use of transparency and verification mechanisms," he added.
On August 2, 2019, the United States formally withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, signed by the Soviet Union and the United States on December 8, 1987. It applied to deployed and non-deployed ground-based missiles of intermediate range (1,000-5,000 kilometers) and shorter range (500-1,000 kilometers). The US motivated its actions by Russia’s alleged refusal to comply with the American ultimatum-like demand that the new 9M729 cruise missiles be eliminated as violating the INF Treaty. Moscow vehemently dismissed all accusations, saying that the technical parameters of the 9M729 missiles are within the parameters allowed by the treaty and laid counterclaims to Washington.
In September 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a proposal to the leaders of several countries, including NATO member states, to introduce a moratorium on deploying intermediate- and shorter-range missiles in Europe and in other regions. The United States, however, turned down the initiative. This topic was also discussed at a meeting of the Russian-French Security Cooperation Council involving the two countries’ defense and foreign ministers in Paris on November 12.