Russia Abandons Nuclear Treaty With US Following Trump’s Submarines Deployment

Moscow: After Donald Trump’s order to deploy nuclear submarines near Russian territory, Russia has announced that it will no longer abide by the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, a landmark Cold War-era agreement which was brought to eliminate an entire class of nuclear missiles. Russia’s strong move comes in response to heightened tensions with the United States, particularly after President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of two US nuclear submarines to regions perceived as threatening by Russia.

The INF Treaty, signed in 1987 by US President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, prohibited the development, testing, and deployment of ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 and 5500 km. The treaty led to the destruction of over 2600 Soviet and US missiles, marking a crucial step in nuclear disarmament and reducing the risk of nuclear conflict in Europe.

However, the treaty’s demise began when Donald Trump withdrew the US from the agreement in 2019, citing Russian violations. Russia, at the time, maintained a self-imposed moratorium on deploying such missiles, conditional on the US not doing the same.

Russia’s decision to abandon its self-imposed freeze on deploying short and intermediate-range missiles is directly linked to the United States’ actions, particularly the deployment of nuclear submarines near Russian borders. Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s Deputy Chair of the Security Council and former President, squarely blamed NATO’s anti-Russian policy for the collapse of the treaty, warning that Russia would take further steps in response.

“This is a new reality all our opponents will have to reckon with. Expect further steps,” Medvedev stated, stressing on the gravity of the situation and Russia’s resolve to respond assertively.

Reportedly, the United States’ decision to deploy nuclear submarines was made in response to what Trump described as foolish and inflammatory statements by Medvedev. “Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences. I hope this will not be one of those instances,” Trump said, asserting that just in case the situation escalated.

Meanwhile, the collapse of the INF Treaty raises concerns about a new arms race and the possibility of increased nuclear proliferation. Without the treaty’s constraints, both nations may feel compelled to develop and deploy more nuclear missiles, destabilising global security.