US to pull out of INF arms control treaty with Russia

The United States on Friday announced it was withdrawing from the INF nuclear missile treaty with Russia, saying Moscow was in violation of agreement which has been a centrepiece of arms control since the Cold War.

In a statement, President Donald Trump said that effective Saturday, "the United States will suspend its obligations under the INF Treaty and begin the process of withdrawing from the INF Treaty, which will be completed in six months unless Russia comes back into compliance by destroying all of its violating missiles, launchers and associated equipment".

The American withdrawal had been expected for months and follows years of unresolved dispute over Russian compliance with the 1987 pact, which bans certain ground-launched cruise missiles. Russia denies violating the treaty.

US officials also have expressed concern that China, which isn't part of the treaty, is deploying large numbers of missiles in Asia that the US can't counter because it's bound by the treaty.

NATO backs Washington’s treaty withdrawal

In a separate statement, the NATO military alliance said it “fully supports” Washington’s pending withdrawal notice from the INF nuclear missile pact over Russia’s actions.

“The United States is taking this action in response to the significant risks to Euro-Atlantic security posed by Russia’s covert testing, production, and fielding of 9M729 ground-launched cruise missile systems,” it said.