US Accuses Russia of INF Treaty Violation to Exert Pressure on Trump - Lawmaker

Accusations against Russia of alleged violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty made by US media and several officials aimed at exerting pressure on US President Donald Trump, Konstantin Kosachev, the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Russian upper house of parliament, told Sputnik on Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Tuesday, US media reported citing sources in the US administration that Russia allegedly deployed ground-based nuclear cruise missiles in violation of the 1987 INF Treaty.

The allegations were supported by the Pentagon and US Senator John McCain called on the Trump administration to respond to the reported violations.

The treaty prohibits the development, deployment or testing of ground-launched ballistic or cruise missiles with ranges between 300 and 3,400 miles. It was implemented by 1991 with inspections carrying on until 2001.

"The leaks in media is just a continuation of information warfare against Russia and against people in the new US administration, supporting the normalization of relations with Russia… The aim [of the accusations] is to prevent the new president from… [significant moves] aimed at revision of the US transatlantic policy focused on establishment of the unilateral model of the world," Kosachev said.

The United States has previously accused Russia of violating the INF Treaty. Russia has rejected the accusations, and said that the United States deploying its Europe-based missile defense system violates the treaty.