nuclear-news

Top ranking United States and Russian officials are due to meet on Thursday to discuss a 1987 arms control treaty.

The treaty, which put a block on Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces has been questioned in recent months with the Ukraine crisis, and NATO threats on Russia.

“We believe that this is an important agreement and that it should be properly executed,” Interfax new agency quoted Mikhail Ulyanov, head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s non-proliferation and arms control department, as saying of the treaty.

He said talks on compliance with the treaty would take place this week involving Rose Gottemoeller, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security.

The original treaty has put a ban on nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with a range of 500-5,500 km.

Last month, Russian Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov had said his nation was committed to the treaty, but President Putin had previously questioned if it is in Russia’s best interests.

Moscow has also said that U.S. use of armed drones amounted to a violation of the treaty.