Russia has offered to stop deployment of a controversial missile system in an attempt to restart talks on arms control in Europe following the collapse of a cold war moratorium, in the latest outreach by the Kremlin that could de-escalate military tensions.
Donald Trump’s administration withdrew from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty last year citing Russian violations, ending the US-Russia pact that banned land-based missiles with ranges of between 500km and 5,500km that was drawn up to end an arms race in Europe.
The Kremlin said in a statement on Monday that it was prepared to end deployment of the 9M729 missile in its western regions. Washington justified its withdrawal from the INF Treaty on claims that the missile was in breach.