In a significant move with deep global implications, the Russian Federation has formally announced its withdrawal from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with the United States. This Cold War-era pact had long served as a cornerstone of nuclear arms control, prohibiting the deployment of ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers.
This decisive announcement came shortly after former U.S. President Donald Trump authorized the deployment of two nuclear-armed submarines to sensitive regions near Russian territory. The Kremlin has interpreted this as a blatant provocation, accusing the United States of escalating tensions and disregarding long-standing diplomatic frameworks.
According to a statement from Russia’s Foreign Ministry, “The geopolitical and military conditions that once justified the INF Treaty no longer exist.” The ministry further emphasized that Russia can no longer remain restrained by a framework that the United States has already abandoned both in spirit and in action.
Although the United States had officially exited the treaty in 2019, citing alleged Russian non-compliance, Moscow had until now maintained a voluntary moratorium on the deployment of INF-range weapons. Russian officials had consistently asserted that they would only deploy such systems if Washington took the first step.
With the U.S. now reactivating its nuclear posture and reintroducing offensive assets in proximity to Russia, Moscow views the treaty's constraints as obsolete. “The actions of Western powers, particularly the Trump administration’s militaristic gestures, present a direct threat to our national security,” the Kremlin stated.
Analysts are warning that the collapse of this pivotal arms control agreement marks a troubling return to Cold War dynamics. The absence of mutual limitations could trigger a new arms race, particularly in Europe and Asia, regions most vulnerable to intermediate-range missile deployments.
As the world watches closely, this latest development not only strains the already fragile U.S.–Russia relations but also raises broader concerns over global nuclear stability. The INF Treaty, once a symbol of superpower diplomacy and restraint, now lies in the ashes of a shifting world order.