Lavrov confirms Presidents Putin, Trump set to discuss INF Treaty at Paris meeting

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump will discuss the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF Treaty) at their meeting in Paris on November 11, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters at the sixth World Congress of Russian Compatriots.

"Everything will be discussed as soon as they meet," Lavrov said when asked if Putin and Trump were expected to discuss the INF Treaty at their upcoming meeting.

The INF Treaty was signed between the Soviet Union and the United States on December 8, 1987 in Washington, DC and took effect on June 1, 1988. The INF Treaty eliminated operational and non-operational medium range (1,000-5,500 kilometers) and shorter range (500-1,000 kilometers) ground-launched missiles. The Soviet Union eliminated 1,846 missiles, and the United States, 846.

On October 20, US President Donald Trump said that Washington would withdraw from the INF Treaty because Russia was allegedly violating the terms of the agreement. Meanwhile, he did not rule out signing a new agreement on intermediate-range nuclear forces with Moscow and Beijing if Russia and China provide guarantees of halting the development of such weapons.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov branded this as a dangerous move, while Berlin and Beijing also criticized the US plans. Meanwhile, London voiced support for the US, while NATO held Russia responsible for Trump’s decision saying that "allies believe that the most plausible assessment would be that Russia is in violation of the INF Treaty.".