Work is in progress on holding a Russian-US meeting on the issues related to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF)Treaty, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters at a press briefing on Friday, Trend reports referring to TASS.
"As for the INF Treaty, work is in progress on possible contacts with the US on that score. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. [Sergei] Ryabkov said on December 9 that Moscow would like to resume a substantive arms control dialogue with the US in the near future," Zakharova noted.
The INF Treaty was signed between the Soviet Union and the United States on December 8, 1987, in Washington, DC, and took effect on June 1, 1988. The INF Treaty eliminated operational and non-operational medium-range (1,000-5,500 kilometers) and shorter-range (500-1,000 kilometers) ground-launched missiles.
The US first accused Russia of violating the INF Treaty in July 2014. After that Washington has repeated its allegations several times. Moscow has rejected them striking back at Washington with counterclaims.
US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said on December 4 in Brussels that Washington would stop adhering to the treaty unless Russia returned to compliance with it within 60 days.