Russia has officially withdrawn from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, citing rising tensions with the West and recent actions by the United States, including the deployment of nuclear submarines near its borders.
The announcement follows an order by US President Donald Trump last week to position two nuclear-armed submarines “in the appropriate regions” near Russia. In response, Russia’s Foreign Ministry stated that the conditions for observing the treaty had “disappeared,” adding that Moscow would no longer abide by its self-imposed moratorium on deploying short- and medium-range nuclear missiles.
A statement from the ministry accused NATO of creating “a direct threat” to Russia’s security through its continued missile deployments and military buildup in Europe and the Asia-Pacific.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, echoed the government’s stance, saying NATO’s actions had left Russia with no choice. “This is a new reality all our opponents will have to reckon with,” he said, warning of further unspecified measures from Moscow.
Background: Collapse of a Cold War-Era Pact
The INF Treaty, originally signed in 1987 by then-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and US President Ronald Reagan, eliminated an entire class of land-based nuclear and conventional missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers. The deal was seen as a cornerstone of Cold War arms control.
The US formally withdrew from the treaty in 2019, citing repeated violations by Russia. While Russia denied the claims, it said it would refrain from deploying similar weapons as long as Washington did the same. However, Russian officials have since warned that Western deployments, particularly by NATO and the US, have changed the strategic landscape.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov previously suggested that the escalating “destabilising actions” by the West might force Russia to reconsider its restraint.
Escalating Rhetoric and Regional Risks
The latest developments come amid ongoing friction over the war in Ukraine and deteriorating US-Russia relations. Trump’s submarine deployment appears to have been a direct response to Medvedev’s earlier comments suggesting heightened risks of conflict between the nuclear-armed powers.
Medvedev, once viewed in the West as a reformist, has become increasingly hawkish in recent years. His recent online exchanges with Trump have added fuel to an already volatile geopolitical climate.
Russia’s exit from the INF Treaty marks another blow to international arms control efforts, raising fears of a renewed missile arms race in Europe and Asia.
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