Russian President Putin issues warning over withdrawal from the INF

Moscow: “The United States should keep in mind that its decision to withdraw from the INF treaty would not be left without an answer from our side. At the same time, we hope that the United States will note correctly and responsibly that Russia has not closed the avenues for discussions on this issue,” warned Russian President Putin. He issued this warning while addressing a meeting of the senior officials of the Russian defence forces and is also said to have discussed the possible measures.

Only last month, US President Trump declared that the United States would pull out of the INF treaty with Russia. It was also revealed that US National Security Advisor, John Bolton had conveyed this decision personally to the Russian leadership. The Russian attempts for talks and dialogue, following this proved to be futile, and Trump has taken a resolute stance in the matter.

Therefore, Russia has started taking an aggressive stance in the matter and the warning issued by President Putin and the meeting of the senior defence officials is apparently a part of the same stance. Along with the Russian President, other leaders, former and serving officials have also started reprimanding the United States, and they have begun indicating that this problem can straightaway invite a war.

A former officer in the Russian military, Yevgeniy Budzinski warned that the United States’ decision to withdraw from the INF is paving a path for war. Budzinski also warned that if the United States walks out of one treaty, the other nuclear treaties between the two countries will come under threat. He also expressed fear that the Russian President would deploy nuclear missiles in Cuba which could lead to Second Cuban Missile Crisis will arise.

After the Second World War, a strong possibility of a conflict between the United States and Russia had arisen with the Cuban Missile Crisis. In 1962, Russia had deployed its nuclear missiles in Cuba. It was considered to be the Russian reaction to the United States’ deployment of nuclear missiles in Italy and Turkey.