... Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand.
The embassy staff and foreign experts also took part in the meeting. The discussion focused on the current military-political situation in Europe in the context of the likely US withdrawal from the INF Treaty, the possibility of restoring full-fledged dialog between Russia and the West, as well as the impact of tensions in Europe on other regions of the world. The meeting was moderated by Ian Hill, Ambassador of New Zealand to Russia.
... would jeopardise the future of the INF without further efforts, such a move would likely trigger an arms race and damage the global nuclear non-proliferation regime.
The full statement is reproduced below.
A European response to US withdrawal from the INF Treaty
ELN
statement November 2018
President Trump’s declared intention to withdraw the United States from the 1987 US-Russia Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) calls into question not only the fate of this pivotal accord but also the future of nuclear arms control, with potentially grave consequences for European security.
The INF treaty may indeed have been violated....
... issues were touched upon in the course of the meeting: various aspects of Syrian Settlement, results of the quadripartite Russia-Turkey-France-Germany summit meeting in Istanbul, options for Syrian political transit, possible areas of cooperation between Russia and France in Syria and in the Middle East.
The meeting also focused on the military-political consequences of the likely withdrawal of the United States from the INF Treaty, ways to overcome the current arms control crisis and to restore a single and indivisible European security system. The meeting was attended by the staff of the French Embassy in Moscow.
... show that Washington continues to openly disregard the interests of international security, including the security of its closest allies in Europe, Asia and throughout the world.
It is perfectly clear that the withdrawal of the United States from the INF Treaty will only accelerate the deployment of that type of missile by both the United States and Russia, as well as by a large group of states that have the necessary capabilities. Many of those countries are in high-risk regions where military tensions are already elevated.
Dmitry Stefanovich:
Post-Helsinki Opportunities for New START and the INF ...
... hope that the White House has not made a final decision yet. But the INF Treaty has been dying a slow death for several years, and the chances of preserving it dwindle every month.
Dmitry Stefanovich:
Post-Helsinki Opportunities for New START and the INF Treaty?
Neither Russia nor the United States has displayed much political will or persistence in seeking a compromise or taking unilateral steps to rescue the treaty. It is clear that neither side has considered saving the INF treaty—not to mention the arms control ...
The visit of John Bolton to Moscow attracted attention in connection with the announcement of possible US withdrawal from the INF Treaty. This is undoubtedly an important decision that will have major consequences for Russia, for the European security, and for strategic stability. There was a lot of talk about this, the debates will continue, but it is important to note that this issue was not the only one that was discussed during Bolton’s talks in Moscow. Moreover,...
... control and strategic stability. The seminar discussion focused on disagreements on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) and their influence on the policies of the following nuclear states: Great Britain, China, and France.
The second ... ... measures and their role in the process of nuclear disarmament. A separate session was devoted to the analysis of new challenges for Russia, the USA, and third-country nuclear forces in the conditions of non-maintenance of the INF. The second day of the seminar ...
... This is a communications disaster both for domestic and external audiences as missile defense remains an important element of Russian grievances towards the West.
3
Rubezh is said to have been frozen in favor of the Avangard Hypersonic Glide Vehicle, although ... ... intercontinental ranges.
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Ukraine has its own missile development projects, which may be a hurdle as it is already a party to the INF Treaty.
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Kazakhstan’s involvement may be tricky: Astana takes well-deserved pride in being a nuclear disarmament champion,...
... conflict with Russia: Washington could use them against another country. Such a development itself raises a number of questions, which we will omit because scenarios of this kind can hardly be relevant to the use of missiles that are prohibited by the INF Treaty.
Russia stands to benefit on a much lesser scale from having medium- and short-range missiles in its arsenals. Such weapons can only serve a defensive purpose in a conventional conflict, and as a deterrent against U.S. forces in the west of Eurasia (in ...
The simulation has shown that a sudden first strike by the United States on Russia would take out up to 86 per cent of Russia’s SNFs in “delivery systems” and 87 per cent in “explosive tonnage”.
The development of strategic nuclear forces (SNF) is becoming an increasingly relevant topic in light of the latest United ...