The United States has notified Russia through diplomatic channels that their decision to withdraw from the Treaty on intermediate-range missiles (INF) finally and is not an invitation to dialogue, said Deputy foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov at a briefing on the 9M729 missile for military attachés and the media.

“Recently, the American side has taken another destructive step, at the highest level, it was announced Washington’s intention to withdraw from the Treaty. Almost immediately, this intention was confirmed to us through bilateral channels, while a clear explanation was given that the announced step is not an invitation to dialogue, and the decision was made on a set of circumstances and it is final,” said Mr. Ryabkov.

Moscow has not violated the INF Treaty and believes that the US arguments on withdrawal from the Treaty are untenable, so the document remains in force. “Due to the absence in reality of any violations of the INF Treaty on our part, the corresponding justification for the suspension of the Treaty indicated by Washington is untenable, the decision itself is negligible from a legal point of view,” the Deputy foreign Minister said. Russia will consider the terms of the INF Treaty binding, said Sergey Ryabkov.