Are we going to witness a new arms race, as the US withdraws from the INF Treaty ?
The United States (U.S.) has officially withdrawn from the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty with Russia, effective from today, i.e., Friday, August 2, 2019, raising speculations of a new arms race.
What is the treaty?
Signed in 1987 by the then President of U.S. – Ronald Reagan and the Soviet General Secretary – Mikhail Gorbachev, the pact prohibited development of land-based nuclear missiles and medium-range arsenals between 500 kms. to 5,500 kms. from Europe. The treaty did not apply to air and sea launched missiles. By May 1991, U.S. and Russia had eliminated 2,692 missiles, followed by 10 years of on-site verification inspections.
What happened earlier?
On October 20, 2018, the President of U.S. – Donald Trump announced that he is withdrawing from Treaty, accusing Russia of non-compliance. Post this, in February 2019, Trump said that U.S. will suspend all its participation from the Treaty within the next 6 months unless Russia destroys the cruise missile which the latter is developing. On February 2, 2019, the President of Russia – Vladimir Putin also announced that Russia too is suspending the Treaty.
What is the problem?
The U.S. and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies have alleged that the cruise missile violates the terms of the treaty. U.S. claims to have evidence that supports their fact that Russia had deployed a number of 9M729 missiles – known to NATO as SSC-8. However, Russia has denied all these allegations.
What U.S. has to say?
Speaking on the occasion, the U.S. Secretary of State – Mike Pompeo said, “Russia is solely responsible for the treaty’s demise. He further added, “With the full support of our Nato allies, the United States has determined Russia to be in material breach of the treaty and has subsequently suspended our obligations under the treaty.”
Gorbachev unhappy with U.S. withdrawing from treaty
Reacting to U.S.’s decision, the 88 years old Gorbachev said, “The termination of the treaty will hardly be beneficial for the international community, this move undermines security not only in Europe, but in the whole world.”
He also said, “There still were some hopes pinned on our partners, that, unfortunately, did not materialize. I think, now we all can see that a blow has been dealt to strategic security.”
What does the end of Treaty mean?
Both U.S. and Russia are now free to develop ballistic missiles with the operational range between 500 kms to 5,500 kms. Besides, U.S. has said that it is resuming the development of its own medium-range, land-based arsenal. The U.S. will also test a land-based cruise missile and a ballistic missile previously between August and November 2019.
New START
With the collapse of INF Treaty, there is one only treaty which refrains U.S and Russia from getting extensively into development of nuclear arms.
The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) was officially signed on April 8, 2010 in Prague and came into force on February 5, 2011. It is expected to last at least until 2021. New START replaced the Treaty of Moscow (SORT), which was due to expire in December 2012. The treaty limits the number of deployed nuclear warheads to 1,550.
