Russia says it no longer feels obligated to delay deploying short- and medium-range missiles — a move that could reignite arms tensions worldwide.
The announcement comes after the U.S. withdrew from the INF Treaty in 2019, a nuclear agreement that prohibited such weapons. At the time, Russia had promised to hold off on deployments as long as Washington did the same.
Now Moscow claims the pause is no longer justified. In fact, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned months ago that the U.S. and NATO’s growing military footprint near Russian borders was pushing Moscow to act. Russian officials say American missiles stationed in Europe and the Asia-Pacific are reason enough to reconsider their stance.
The shift may mark a turning point in the global arms control landscape — and could ripple far beyond regional security debates.