COLD WAR DISAGREEMENT
What was the Cold War agreement and why did the US pull out?
Donald Trump has pulled out of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty at the beginning of February
US President Donald Trump has pulled out of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty at the beginning of February.
But what was the agreement and for what reason did Trump withdraw the US from it? Here's what we know.
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What was the Cold War Agreement?
The Cold War Agreement, also known as the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), was signed in 1987 by US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
Both countries have six months to resurrect the treaty.
The INF Treaty eliminates land-based ballistic and cruise missiles, and their launchers, with ranges of 500-1,000 kilometres (310-620 miles) - known and short medium-range - and 1,000-5,500 kilometres (620-3,420 miles) - known as intermediate range.
The treaty does not cover air or sea launching missiles.
By May 1991, 2,692 missiles had been eliminated and 10 years of on-site verification inspections followed.
The immediate effect eliminated the US' Pershing II missiles and the Soveiet Union's SS-20s - which was a key event in ending the Cold War.
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Why did the US pull out?
The US pulled out of the Cold War agreement after accusing Putin of breaking it - something Moscow has strongly denied.
The INF treaty bans ground-launched missiles with a range of 310 miles to 3,420 miles and bans either side from stationing land-based missiles in Europe.
The INF was originally signed to stop the dangerous build-up of warheads in Europe, but fears have been renewed after a break down in talks between the US and Russia in Beijing.
Washington made the threat after accusing Russia of producing a missile with a 1,500-mile range – the Novator 9M729.
Russia claims the missile’s range is just 300 miles - which is within the range allowed by the INF - and has accused the US of using it as a pretext to leave the pact for its own military goals.
Putin said today: "Our American partners should have honestly said it instead of making unfounded accusations against Russia to justify their withdrawal from the treaty."
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What has Putin said?
President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia will point its nuclear weapons at the US if Donald Trump deploys intermediate-range missiles to Europe.
He said he will target the US itself and any host countries if there is any deployment of nukes in Europe.
During his annual address to parliament, Putin said Russia is not seeking confrontation but has made his position crystal clear.
It comes after the breakdown of the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF)treaty between Washington and Moscow earlier this month.
Putin added he will not take the first step to deploy missiles because the agreement has collapsed but ensured he would retaliate - his toughest remarks yet hinting to a potential arms race.
He told Russia's elite: "It's their right to think how they want. But can they count?
"I'm sure they can. Let them count the speed and the range of the weapons systems we are developing.
"Let them count, and then after that take the decisions which could create additional threats for our country.
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"And which, of course, would lead to reciprocal actions from Russia whose security will be reliably and unconditionally assured.
"In that case, we will be forced, and I want to underline this, forced, to take both reciprocal and asymmetrical measures.
"Russia will be forced to create and deploy types of weapons which can be used not only in respect of those territories from which the direct threat to us originates, but also in respect of those territories where the centres of decision-making are located."
He added he is open to arms control talks with Washington and hopes to amend ties adding "we don't want confrontation, particularly with such a global power as the US".
However, Putin said he will not initiate such negotiations and has urged US officials to take into account the "range and speed of our prospective weapons".
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