MOSCOW—Russia’s Foreign Ministry Sunday condemned Washington’s decision to
withdraw from the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty, saying that the move was tantamount to “blackmail” and warning that it would be “a very dangerous step,” according to the official Russian news agency TASS.
“We condemn the continuing attempts to achieve Russia’s concessions through blackmail, moreover in such an issue that has importance for international security and security in the nuclear weapons sphere [and] for maintaining strategic stability,” the news agency quoted deputy foreign minister Sergei Rybakov as saying.
On Saturday, President Donald Trump said he would withdraw the U.S. from the 1987 INF treaty, contending that Russia “violated the agreement” and raising the prospect of developing a new set of weapons.
“They have been violating it for many years,” Mr. Trump said after a campaign rally in Nevada. “And we’re not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we’re not allowed to.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to comment on Washington’s announcement but Russia has denied violating the treaty, which was worked out by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev and prohibits the use of intermediate- and shorter-range rockets, as well as testing, producing or fielding new ground-based missiles.
Russia is developing a missile system known as 9M729, though Moscow says it is in full compliance with the pact.
Mr. Ryabkov told the state-run news agency RIA Novosti that Moscow has repeatedly told Washington that “the Americans have no grounds for accusing Russia of violating this treaty.”