Putin called the consequences of the US withdrawal from the INF Treaty

According to him, this step will increase the risks of unleashing an arms race and an increase in confrontational potential.

"We consider the US withdrawal from the INF Treaty, as a result of which it terminated, a serious mistake that increases the risks of unleashing a missile arms race, increasing confrontational potential and sliding into uncontrolled escalation," the statement reads, the text of which is quoted by the Kremlin press service ...

Earlier, the head of the Pentagon, Mark Esper, said that the United States plans to increase the number of intermediate and shorter-range missiles to confront Russia and China, including in the Pacific region.