US will not compromise: Antonov on INF treaty

The United States is not likely to compromise on the troubled Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force (INF) Treaty, said Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov on Wednesday.

"All decisions on the treaty were made before withdrawal was even announced. Many US admirals came forward with statements that these types of missiles are necessary to deter China. Then some story was created that we allegedly have a type of missile that goes beyond the INF Treaty. It seems to me that Americans will not compromise on this issue", TASS quoted Antonov as saying.

Russia and US relations are strained since last October when US President Donald Trump alleged Moscow of not complying to the INF treaty and threatened to withdraw from the treaty.

Following this, the US Secretary of State, Michael Pompeo issued a 60-day ultimatum to Russia for their compliance to the treaty, failing which the USA would withdraw from the treaty on February 2.

After the INF treaty, Russia in a counterstroke targeted the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). It has signalled that it might not expand the START.

Russia has also alleged that the US had manipulated figures to become competent for START.

The ambassador said: "We need a very serious discussion at the negotiations table, preferably with no media."

He further said that he hopes aides to Trump will provide sufficient reasoning to preserve the New START.

The Russia-US New Start Treaty entered into force in 2011. Under the Treaty, both the country should comply with the Treaty's central limits on strategic arms.