“I am extremely sorry that Russia provably violated the INF Treaty and thus gave rise to the end of this agreement,” RIA Novosti quotes Merkel.
According to the Chancellor, in the end, part of the arms limitation system in Europe and around the world was lost.
“We will make every effort, together with our partners in NATO, to insist on further arms limitation, and we will deal with this in the next years,” she added.
As Merkel noted, NATO intends to find a “common answer” in connection with the termination of the agreement.
On August 2, the INF Treaty was officially discontinued at the initiative of the United States.
Russian leader Vladimir Putin noted that Moscow cannot ignore the state of affairs after the US withdraws from the agreement.
He instructed departments to monitor Washington’s steps to develop the INF Treaty.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, commenting on the situation with the INF Treaty, said that "Russia has exclusive responsibility."
For more information, see RT.