Russian President Vladimir Putin says the United States is making nuclear war more likely by threatening to leave an arms control treaty with Moscow and refusing to discuss the future of another such bilateral agreement.
Putin made the remarks on Thursday during his annual news conference, throwing the ball in Washington’s court to avert the warfare.
“It’s very hard to imagine how the situation will develop [if the US quits the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF),” Putin said.
The 1987 pact, which Washington has threatened to ditch, bans the two sides from stationing short- and intermediate-range missiles in Europe. The treaty did not cover sea-launched missiles.