Russia's Medvedev warns of further steps after Moscow abandons missile moratorium
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian former President Dmitry Medvedev blamed NATO countries on Monday for the abandonment of a moratorium on short- and medium-range nuclear missiles and said Moscow would take further steps in response.
Medvedev, who has been engaging in a exchange of acerbic barbs on social media with U.S. President Donald Trump, made his comments after Russia's Foreign Ministry said Moscow no longer considered itself bound by the moratorium on the deployment of short- and medium-range nuclear missiles.
"The Russian Foreign Ministry's statement on the withdrawal of the moratorium on the deployment of medium- and short-range missiles is the result of NATO countries' anti-Russian policy," Medvedev posted in English on X.
"This is a new reality all our opponents will have to reckon with. Expect further steps."
Medvedev, who now serves as deputy head of Russia's powerful Security Council, did not elaborate.
The U.S. withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty in 2019, citing Russian non-compliance. Russia has since said it would not deploy such weapons provided that Washington did not do so.
However, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov signalled last December that Moscow would have to respond to what he called "destabilising actions" by the U.S. and NATO in the strategic sphere.
"Since the situation is developing towards the actual deployment of U.S.-made land-based medium- and short-range missiles in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, the Russian Foreign Ministry notes that the conditions for maintaining a unilateral moratorium on the deployment of similar weapons have disappeared," the ministry said in its statement.
The INF treaty, signed in 1987 by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and U.S. President Ronald Reagan, eliminated an entire class of weapons -- ground-launched missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometres (311 to 3,418 miles).
Medvedev, seen initially in the West as a potential moderate and reformer, has become one of the most hawkish senior officials on foreign policy in Moscow.
Trump last Friday said he had ordered two nuclear submarines to be moved to "the appropriate regions" in response to remarks from Medvedev about the risk of war between the nuclear-armed adversaries.
(Reporting by Reuters;Editing by Gareth Jones and Bill Berkrot)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
9 minutes ago
- The Star
India shifts to damage control after Trump ramps up threats
NEW DELHI: India's government is scrambling to contain the economic fallout from President Donald Trump's threatened tariff action, which has left officials in New Delhi reeling on how to respond. Trump's latest tirade caught officials in India's capital off guard. The president's language - calling India's economy "dead,' its tariff barriers "obnoxious' and saying India is indifferent to the plight of Ukrainians - has been very atypical and akin to a verbal slap in the face, an official in New Delhi said, asking not to be identified as the discussions are private. Officials have no template to deal with these kinds of public assaults, the person said, adding that the latest turn of events has put a strain on India's relationship with the US. Trump said Tuesday (Aug 5) he'll increase the 25 per cent tariff on Indian exports to the US "substantially over the next 24 hours,' citing the Asian nation's high barriers to trade and its purchases of Russian oil. India was "fuelling the war machine, and if they're going to do that, I'm not going to be happy,' Trump told CNBC. India's government is now bracing for high tariffs and seeking to limit the possible economic damage. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry is discussing ways to help exporters who would be hardest hit, such as in the gems and jewellery and textile sectors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been urging Indians to buy local goods to offset any slump in global demand. And officials say they will continue to seek back-channel talks to help ease the tensions. India has been a target of Trump for weeks now because of its Russian ties. Trump's aides say energy purchases by countries like India and China are helping to keep Russia's economy afloat as its leader Vladimir Putin wages war with Ukraine. The US president has given Putin until Aug. 8 to reach a truce in the conflict. Modi's government is so far holding its ground, saying it's being unreasonably targeted by the US for its ties to Russia - its biggest supplier of oil and military equipment. Officials have signaled they won't instruct refiners to halt Russian crude purchases, while Modi has urged Indians to buy more local goods to bolster Asia's third-largest economy. For months trade officials had been negotiating with the Trump administration on a deal that both sides had been signalling was close to being finalised, with a tariff rate possibly below 20 per cent. The US president's tone appeared to change last month, when he threatened India with higher duties alongside others in the BRICS bloc of nations for what he said was the group's anti-US stance. He then followed up several days later with warnings about financial penalties on countries like India for buying oil from Russia. India has been buying Russian crude at a rate of about 1.7 million barrels a day so far this year, all of it from seaborne imports, while China has purchased an average of about two million barrels, comprising both seaborne imports as well as oil that's transported via an inland pipeline. To offset the tariff hikes, officials in New Delhi are now considering expediting an export promotion plan, first outlined in the February budget, which set aside 22.5 billion rupees (US$256 million) to support exporters. The budgeted amount may be increased to help businesses offset potential losses resulting from greater competition with regional rivals, who have secured lower tariff rates of around 15-20 per cent, a person familiar with the matter said. The discussions are still ongoing and the government hasn't made any decision on what kind of support it will provide, the person said. India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Ministry of Finance didn't immediately respond to emails seeking further information. New Delhi is also weighing easing some dairy market access rules for the US in order to placate Trump, officials familiar with the matter said. The government is discussing whether it can allow limited imports of some dairy products, such as cheese not made in India and condensed milk with clear labelling of the animal feed used in manufacturing, they said. India maintains tariffs of as high as 60 per cent on dairy products to protect its local industry and enforces strict rules to ensure imported dairy products aren't from cattle fed animal-based in order to adhere to religious sensitivities. Any easing of restrictions in the dairy sector would represent a significant concession by India, which didn't grant the UK any similar market access in a recently concluded free trade agreement. Economists estimate that a 25 per cent tariff could cut India's gross domestic product growth by 0.3 percentage point. Pranjul Bhandari, chief India economist at HSBC Holdings Plc., said an additional penalty would curb growth further, resulting in lower capital inflows and investment. An internal assessment by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry shows that a 25 per cent tariff would impact about 10 per cent of India's exports in July to September. Modi's rivals have criticised his previously friendly ties with Trump and called him out for his silence on the US leader's comments. "We are receiving threats - that there will be more than 25 per cent tariffs and we are being told that we should not buy oil from Russia. This friendship has turned out to be expensive,' Jairam Ramesh, a senior leader in the main opposition Indian National Congress, told reporters Tuesday. Trump's actions will push India to react, although it's unlikely to retaliate and will more likely seek further talks with the US, said Indrani Bagchi, chief executive officer at Ananta Centre, a Delhi-based think tank. "My sense is the government will contain this and will not take this forward, will not escalate,' she said. India will want to continue the trade deal negotiations in spite of Trump's "personal anger,' she said. The US president likely wants to have Modi call him and "fold in the way that other countries have,' she said. "That is not India's style.' - Bloomberg
The Sun
9 minutes ago
- The Sun
US envoy Witkoff heads to Moscow amid Ukraine war tensions
MOSCOW: US envoy Steve Witkoff will hold meetings with Russian officials on Wednesday, a US source confirmed, as President Donald Trump's deadline to impose new sanctions over Russia's war in Ukraine approaches. The source did not clarify whether Witkoff would meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, though the two have held discussions multiple times before. Trump has set Friday as the cutoff for Russia to halt its offensive in Ukraine or face additional penalties. While the White House has not detailed specific measures, Trump previously warned of 'secondary tariffs' targeting Russia's trade partners, including China and India. Such a move could disrupt global trade while aiming to curb Russian exports. Despite international pressure, Russia's military campaign in Ukraine persists. Three rounds of peace talks in Istanbul have failed to bridge gaps between the warring sides. Moscow insists Ukraine must surrender more territory and abandon Western alliances, while Kyiv demands an immediate ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently called for allies to pursue 'regime change' in Russia. Trump has grown increasingly critical of Putin's refusal to de-escalate. When asked about Witkoff's message to Moscow, Trump stated, 'Yeah, get a deal where people stop getting killed.' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the upcoming talks as 'important, substantial, and helpful,' praising US efforts to resolve the conflict. Putin reiterated on Friday that his conditions for ending the war—including Ukraine's surrender of four annexed regions and abandonment of NATO aspirations—remain unchanged. Meanwhile, Trump's recent deployment of nuclear submarines near Russia has drawn cautious reactions from Moscow. Peskov urged restraint, emphasizing Russia's commitment to nuclear non-proliferation. - AFP
Malay Mail
9 minutes ago
- Malay Mail
Trump jokes about ‘nuclear missiles' during surprise rooftop stroll at White House
WASHINGTON, Aug 6 — Donald Trump made an unexpected appearance yesterday on a White House rooftop and joked about installing nuclear missiles at a time of escalating tensions with Russia. The US president, flanked by bodyguards and under the protection of snipers, strolled for 20 minutes on the flat roof above the press room as he looked across to the site of his proposed new ballroom. Asked why he was on the roof, he replied he was just 'taking a little walk.' Quizzed about what he intended to build, he joked 'nuclear missiles,' before appearing to mimic the launch of a weapon with his arm. The United States and Russia have engaged in heated rhetoric for several days. Trump last week ordered the deployment of two nuclear submarines near Russia in response to remarks he deemed provocative by former Russian president Dmitri Medvedev. With his planned ballroom and other projects, Trump is determined to leave an imprint on the White House, drawing inspiration from the opulent style of his private properties. He has paved the lawn of the famous Rose Garden and adorned the Oval Office with lavish golden ornamentation. The 79-year-old leader recently announced plans for the ballroom, in what is shaping up to be the most significant project at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in over a century. He has vowed that he—with perhaps some help from private donors—would pay for all the work, estimated at $200 million. 'It's just another way to spend my money for the country,' he said Tuesday. A former reality TV host, Trump is known for his public appearances that are half-comical, half-provocative, delighting his supporters and providing television networks with the images they relish. In 2015, he announced his presidential candidacy after slowly descending a golden escalator. And during the last presidential campaign, he staged photo ops in a garbage truck cabin and served fries in a McDonald's restaurant. — AFP
