“No reaction followed”: the Defense Ministry announced that the Pentagon did not respond to Shoigu’s proposal to discuss the INF Treaty

Pentagon chief James Mattis did not respond to a proposal by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to discuss disagreements regarding the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Short-Range Missiles. This was stated by the official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, Major-General Igor Konashenkov.

According to him, the appeal was sent through the US military attache at the US Embassy in Russia, after "a few days ago he was handed over to the head of the Pentagon, James Mattis."

“It was stressed that the Russian side is ready for an open and substantive dialogue with the Pentagon on all relevant issues of the joint agenda. However, after three days there wasn’t even a formal reaction to the proposal by the Russian Defense Ministry from the US military department, ”said Konashenkov.

The representative of the Ministry of Defense noted that the lack of a response from the Pentagon demonstrates the reluctance of the American side to conduct a “reasoned and professional dialogue with Russia”, which could contribute to solving actual problems of global security.

Mattison does not enter into a dialogue with Russia on the INF Treaty, as the United States intends to break the contract, and not resolve the differences associated with it, I am sure the doctor of political sciences, professor of Moscow State University Andrei Manoilo.

"The US party is not profitable for the INF Treaty, especially it is not beneficial for the US President Donald Trump because he needs to create jobs and if this contract is canceled, he will have the opportunity through congress to invest huge money on the production of medium and shorter range missiles," he said in conversation with RT.

Manoylo stressed that, in addition to economic advantages, the exit from the INF Treaty will bring Trump and political ones - he will make it possible for the “arms lobby, which is made up of Republicans,” thereby securing their support.

In addition, Trump in foreign policy is not inclined to engage in dialogue, but acts ultimatumally with respect to Mexico, Canada, European allies, China, North Korea and other states, Kirill Koktysh, associate professor of the MGIMO political theory department, recalled.

“In this regard, Trump has no negative experience, whenever his hard style worked. There is a serious doubt that this will work in relation to China, North Korea, that this in principle can work in relation to Russia, but until the negative experience has been accumulated the Americans will proceed from the fact that it works, ”he told RT.

“The USA has already made this decision”

On December 14, Russia also submitted to the UN General Assembly a draft resolution on the preservation of the INF Treaty, which is reported on the official website of the Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation at the organization

“On December 14, a draft resolution was submitted to the UN General Assembly to support the preservation and implementation of the INF Committee, calling on all parties to fulfill their obligations under the agreement and resolve issues related to the fulfillment of their obligations through the mechanisms provided for in the agreement,” the press release said.

At the same time, it is emphasized that breaking the INF Treaty will undermine “mechanisms in the field of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and arms control”.

In the course of the upcoming vote, the European allies of the United States may cease to support Washington, despite the fact that they previously supported American initiatives, noted Kirill Koktysh.

“Whether this vote will become an exception is a question, since it will be a question of the security of Western Europe itself. And it is clear that this is a case when instincts can awaken and when countries should proceed from their own interests, and not from the interests of an alliance. But again, we just have to see whether it will work or not, ”the expert added.

Recall, on December 4, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Washington would stop fulfilling its obligations under the INF Treaty in two months if Moscow "does not return" to its execution.

“The United States will stop fulfilling its obligations under the INF Treaty, if Russia does not return to its execution within 60 days ... We highly appreciate the support for this decision by the United States from NATO,” he said.

Pompeo stressed that the stop does not imply the development, production or deployment of proscribed missiles.

Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that the American side unprovenly accuses Moscow of violating the INF.

“At first, after all, the American side stated that it intends to withdraw from the treaty on medium and shorter-range missiles, and then began to look for justifications for why they should do so. The most important reason is that we are breaking something. At the same time, as usual, no evidence of violations on our part is provided, ”the head of state emphasized.

At the same time, Putin drew attention to the fact that the decision to withdraw from the treaty was made by Washington much earlier than this was publicly announced.

“They thought that we would not notice it, but this is already in the budget of the Pentagon - the development of these missiles. But only after that they publicly announced that they were leaving. The next step was to look for someone to blame. The simplest and most familiar to the ear of the western man in the street: Russia is to blame, ”Putin added.

It is precisely due to the fact that Washington has already decided to break the INF Treaty that we should not expect further dialogue between Moscow and Washington on this issue, noted Andrei Manoilo, doctor of political sciences, professor at Moscow State University.

“Nobody will discuss anything, even if Russia will cut all the mythical land-based missiles. Because the USA has already made this decision, they have already decided everything for themselves. And now they are playing the play in such a way as to most effectively get out of this contract, ”he concluded.

Violations by Americans

Recall, the INF Treaty was concluded in 1987 between the USSR and the USA. According to the agreement, the parties eliminated ballistic and cruise missiles with a range from 500 to 5,500 km, and also pledged not to develop or deploy new ones.

About US withdrawal from the INF Treaty in October this year, was announced by the American President Donald Trump. He justified this decision by saying that Russia allegedly violated the treaty, but no evidence was given either then or thereafter.

“Russia is violating the agreement. They break it for many years. I don’t know why the president (US Barak. - RT ) Obama did not negotiate or did not come out of the agreement, ”the head of the White House said.

At the same time in Russia they indicate that it is the United States that violates its obligations under the contract. In particular, the MK-41 units, which are capable of launching medium-range cruise missiles, were deployed in Romania and Poland, said Valery Gerasimov, head of the Russian General Staff.

“The MK-41 universal launchers deployed in Romania and deployed in Poland are capable of launching medium-range cruise missiles, which is a direct violation of the obligations under the INF Treaty,” he said.