German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has urged the United States to consider the consequences of withdrawing from the INF, including its impact on European security and on future efforts at nuclear disarmament.
"The treaty...has for 30 years been an important pillar of our European security architecture," Maas said in a statement on Sunday. "We have urged Russia to address serious allegations that it is violating the agreement. We now urge the US to consider the possible consequences [of withdrawal]," he added.
Characterizing the US statement about its intention to exit the treaty "regrettable," Maas said that the US decision "puts us and Europe before difficult questions," with the treaty having prohibited Moscow and the US from deploying or testing ground-based medium-range missiles.
According to the foreign minister, the US withdrawal from the INF will negatively effect prospects for a new strategic arms limitations treaty between Russia and the US, which Maas suggested was urgently needed.
Germany was one of the main benefactors of the 1987 treaty when it was signed at the close of the Cold War, with the INF aimed primarily at reducing the risk of nuclear war in Europe, with East and West Germany seen as the frontline of the confrontation at the time. The INF committed the US and the USSR (and since 1991, Russia) to terminating stocks of missiles and land-based launchers with ranges between 500 and 1,000 km and 1,000-5,500 km, respectively. The treaty resulted in the destruction of some 2,692 missiles by mid-1991.
President Trump announced plans to withdraw from the INF on Saturday, accusing Russia of violating the agreement's terms.
Speaking to Sputnik, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that if the US continues to unilaterally withdraw from agreements, Moscow will be forced to adopt a range of retaliatory measures, including "military and technological" ones.
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Comment: Using spurious allegations against Russia as a means to do as it pleases is typical of the US:
- Putin Delivers Landmark 'State of The Union' Speech: Puts The Smack Down on US, Shows Off Latest Russian Nuclear Weapons
- MI5 Poisons Another Russian Asset to Smear Putin in Ongoing Propaganda War
- In the Absence of Evidence of Russian Collusion and 'Hacking', Congress Makes It Up
- Germany sees Russia as stable energy partner while US threatens Europe with sanctions unless it dumps Nord Stream 2 pipeline
Also check out SOTT radio's: Behind the Headlines: Putin The World To Rights: Russia's New Nuclear Weapons And The End of 'Unipolarity'