Russia suspends its participation in INF nuclear treaty

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed on Wednesday a bill that suspends country’s participation in the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, according to an official statement.

A decision to reenact the treaty can be made in the future only by the head of state, the statement also said.

The bill came into effect since the day of its publication.

The INF treaty has been widely seen as a cornerstone of European security in the post-Cold War era after the U.S. and Russia signed it in 1987. It prohibits both countries from possessing and testing ground launch missiles with a range between 300-3,100 miles.

In October 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump announced an exit from the pact, accusing Moscow of violating it.

In a tit-for-tat response on Feb. 2, Putin said Moscow was suspending its obligations under the INF treaty.

The bill was approved by the Russian parliament on June 26.