Russia has ended its moratorium on deploying medium- and short-range nuclear missiles, citing NATO actions post-U.S. withdrawal from the INF Treaty in 2019. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has attributed the decision to NATO’s anti-Russian policy, asserting it as a new reality for all opponents to face.
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that it is no longer bound by the INF Treaty, which had eliminated ground-launched missiles with ranges of 50 to 5,500 kilometers. The INF treaty, signed in 1987 by President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, was a significant agreement in reducing nuclear arsenals.
Medvedev’s remarks come amid an ongoing exchange with President Donald Trump, with Trump responding by redeploying two nuclear submarines to regions near Moscow, underscoring the heightened tensions between the two nations.
The Kremlin has released a statement downplaying Medvedev’s comments, emphasizing Russia’s responsible stance on nuclear issues and its commitment to nuclear non-proliferation.