Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Senate Rules to Leave Nuclear Arms Treaty in Unanimous Vote

President Reagan and General Secretary Gorbachev signing the INF Treaty in the East Room of the White House Wikicommons

Russian senators have voted unanimously to uphold President Vladimir Putin’s suspension of a landmark nuclear arms control treaty with the United States on Wednesday.

The U.S. will withdraw from the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty on Aug. 2 unless Moscow ends violations, which Russia denies, of the 1987 pact. Putin signed a decree suspending Russia’s compliance with the INF Treaty in March after the U.S. announced its impending withdrawal.

Russia’s upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, voted 148-0 on Wednesday to suspend the INF Treaty and grant Putin the authority to decide when to renew it. 

NATO defense ministers meet in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss their next steps if Russia manatins the missile system that the U.S. says violates the INF Treaty. Its secretary general urged Russia on Tuesday to destroy the new missile before the August deadline or face a more determined alliance response in the region.

The U.S. withdrawal will remove constraints on its ability to develop its own nuclear-capable, medium-range missiles. Russia warned this week of a stand-off comparable to the 1962 Cuban missile crisis if the U.S. were to deploy land-based missile systems near Russia's borders.

Reuters contributed reporting.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more