America withdraws from nuclear missiles treaty with Russia

NEWS DESK

The US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Friday in a press conference his country's formal withdrawal from the short and medium-term missiles treaty signed with the Soviet Union.

Pompeo said, "The United States is suspending its obligations under the missiles treaty to start from February 2nd."

He added that his country would give Russia a period of six months to save the convention as he said, "If Russia does not commit to check the agreement and does not destroy the missiles that violate the treaty's provisions, the launchers and related facilities within six months, the work on the treaty will end.

For his part, the US President Donald Trump said that the United States will develop its own military options, and will work side by side with NATO and its other allies to prevent Russia from using its weapons illegally.

He added, "For many years, Russia has violated the medium-range nuclear weapons treaty since 2014."

The US President Donald Trump has hinted for months the possibility of his country's withdrawal from the treaty.

This withdrawal raises fears of the return of an arms race between the two sides.

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