Kremlin: Russia does not have to demonstrate its 9M729 missile to the US to preserve Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty
The elimination of weapons prohibited within the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) had been completed in 2000, said the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov in the interview with Kommersant.
According to Ryabkov, the United States tried to get rid of certain restrictions of the treaty that they deemed unfavorable for them, and that Russia believes that Washington intends to withdraw from the INF Treaty at any cost. When asked, why Moscow did not simply demonstrate the 9M729 missile, which the US believes violates the treaty and which Washington asked to see, Ryabkov said that the Treaty had no such requirements.
“Showing the missile to the Americans would mean being increasingly transparent on our part, which is outside of the treaty provisions. At this stage, we do not have an impression that such a step would be justified either politically or technically,” he said. Ryabkov added that the USA did not respond to the Russian proposal to conduct consultations regarding the future of the INF Treaty.
In October, during the visit to Nevada, Trump cited the use of the 9М729 ground-based, long-range missile systems by Russia as a primary reason to denounce the treaty.
The Russian Defense Minister, Sergey Shoygu sent a note to United States Secretary of Defense James Mattis with the proposal to discuss the differences the INF Treaty. On December 15, Moscow stated that there was no reply. The Pentagon stated that the note did not contain any sign that Russia wished for the INF Treaty to remain in effect.