MOSCOW, November 3. /TASS/. Washington is seeking to deploy missile systems prohibited by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in Europe and Asia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said.
"Now, they are moving rapidly in the direction of the deploying said systems. I think it will soon happen both in the Asian theater of war - I beg your pardon for this not very appropriate word, but it is a military term - and in the European one," he said in an interview with the Kommersant daily. "Hence, our moratorium, which was declared by the Russian president, cannot stay in place in light of such developments."
The Americans think that this doesn’t matter. We believe that in this way they are harming global security, the security of corresponding regions," Ryabkov said. "But we see no signs that the United States can say anything that differs from its negativist, destructive position."
The Russian side, in his words, "for quite a long time since the Americans only mentioned Russia’s alleged violation of the then valid INF Treaty by means of building the 9M729 missile, has shown maximal openness and readiness for dialogue."
"And not only for a dialogue but also for the practical demonstration of this system for the Americans," the Russian diplomat said. "They turned us down under the pretext that ‘what you are going to show us, we know everything about already.’ They always know everything better than those who speak about their own interests, their own systems … they always understand it better. We are aware of this American approach, American trick. It is really impossible to build a productive conversation on such a basis. They have found a pretext to drop the limits in this sphere."
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. The US justified this move by Russia’s alleged refusal to comply with the American ultimatum-like demand that the new 9M729 cruise missiles be eliminated as they violated the INF Treaty. Moscow vehemently denied these accusations, saying that the technical parameters of the 9M729 missile is within the parameters allowed by the treaty and presented 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 other regions. The United States, however, turned down the initiative.