02:38Russia: 'INF Treaty should be saved. It is up to America' - Deputy FM Ryabkov
Russia is ready to sit down with USA for talks on the future of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in a joint briefing with Russia’s Defence Ministry officials in Moscow on Wednesday.
Discussing the 9M729 missile, which US says violates the treaty, Ryabkov stated that some forces in the United States “were not interested in giving us the possibility to deny their false and fabricated data.”
“We think that due to the absence of any real violations of INF Treaty coming from our side, the Washington’s explanation for putting on hold the treaty is not sufficient,” he added.
The deputy FM also said that research and development for new missile systems “have been underway in the USA for a long time, the creation of which would contradict the spirit and the letter of the INF Treaty.”
Ryabkov emphasised that Moscow is ready to sit down for talks in order to preserve the treaty.
“It must be conducted with mutual consideration of the interests and concerns of both parties and without any counterproductive ultimatums. The contract must be preserved. It’s up to the American side now,” he concluded.
02:38Russia is ready to sit down with USA for talks on the future of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in a joint briefing with Russia’s Defence Ministry officials in Moscow on Wednesday.
Discussing the 9M729 missile, which US says violates the treaty, Ryabkov stated that some forces in the United States “were not interested in giving us the possibility to deny their false and fabricated data.”
“We think that due to the absence of any real violations of INF Treaty coming from our side, the Washington’s explanation for putting on hold the treaty is not sufficient,” he added.
The deputy FM also said that research and development for new missile systems “have been underway in the USA for a long time, the creation of which would contradict the spirit and the letter of the INF Treaty.”
Ryabkov emphasised that Moscow is ready to sit down for talks in order to preserve the treaty.
“It must be conducted with mutual consideration of the interests and concerns of both parties and without any counterproductive ultimatums. The contract must be preserved. It’s up to the American side now,” he concluded.