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NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at a press conference in Brussels on 2 August 2019. Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD / AFP

The United States and Russia on Friday (August 2nd) marked the end of the INF disarmament treaty on intermediate-range nuclear missiles. Washington and Moscow accuse each other of being responsible.

Launched six months ago by President Donald Trump, the US withdrawal of the INF disarmament treaty was formalized on Friday, resulting in the end of this text signed between Moscow and Washington in 1987. The two powers mutually rejected the responsibility. " The withdrawal of the United States in accordance with Article XV of the Treaty takes effect today, because Russia has not returned to full respect and verified, " said the head of the American diplomacy Mike Pompeo. "The United States and NATO agree: Russia has violated the INF and the agreement is in the interest of our collective security. Treaties are worthless if they are not respected by all signatories, "wrote Mike Pompeo on Twitter.

The US and NATO agree: Russia violated the INF, and leaving the agreement is in the best interests of our collective security. Treaties are worthless unless respected by all signatories. https://t.co/tqh1zGz9Sl

Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) August 2, 2019

In a statement released on Friday on its website, the Russian Foreign Ministry denounces Washington's " propaganda campaign " to justify its withdrawal. " All our proposals to find a viable solution have been rejected, " say the Russian authorities who accuse the United States of wanting to " abolish all international instruments that do not suit him for one reason or another ".

❗️On August 2, the US completed the withdrawal of the Treaty. Accordingly, this instrument ceased to have effect. #Washington has committed a serious mistake. The cause is however clear: the #US wanted to free itself from the existing restrictions
🔗https: //t.co/e3ty3YYvIY pic.twitter.com/nhJT0mgVFV

MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) August 2, 2019

Russia, however, reaffirms its desire not to revive the arms race in Europe and proposes a moratorium on the deployment of missiles at intermediate range. This does not mean that Russia will not acquire this type of armament, says our correspondent in Moscow, Daniel Vallot . On the contrary: the Russian Ministry of Defense announced last February that a new missile will be designed in the coming years. In the meantime, the Russian army should equip itself with an Earth version of the Kalibr missiles already used by the Navy.

"Finding a balance"

At a press conference on Friday, the secretary general of NATO supported the US decision to withdraw from the text, reports our correspondent in Brussels, Laxmi Lota . " Russia bears full responsibility for the termination of the treaty, " said Jens Stoltenberg, while positioning himself against any new " arms race ". In the face of the Russian missile threat at intermediate range, the allies will remain measured, he assured. " We will continue to strike a balance. We must have a credible deterrent, but we also must not over-react, not make hasty decisions in this context. "

The new Russian missiles are " capable of carrying nuclear warheads and hitting European cities in minutes, " the NATO Secretary General said. Jens Stoltenberg believes that a new treaty is possible, as has been the case in the past. " I think it's still possible to reach agreements with Russia on disarmament, " he said. Because in the long run, it's in their interest too. Russia had realized this during the Cold War. "

Abolishing the use of a range of medium-range nuclear missiles (from 500 to 5,500 km), the INF treaty had made it possible to eliminate Russian SS20 and US Pershing deployed in Europe.

The United States will accelerate the development of new missiles

The United States will accelerate the development of new ground-to-air missiles after the release of the INF disarmament treaty on Friday that binds them to Russia, Pentagon chief Mark Esper said.

" Now that we have withdrawn, the Ministry of Defense will fully pursue the development of these conventional surface-to-air missiles in a cautious response to Russia's actions ," the minister said.

Mark Esper said that the Americans had begun in 2017 research on these missile systems, while remaining within the limits of the INF Treaty.

Mark Esper again blamed the death of the INF Treaty on the Russians who, he accused, committed " lasting and repeated violations of the treaty for several years and during several US presidential administrations ".