Russia Abandons Moratorium on Missile Deployment

Russia has announced it will abandon its moratorium on the deployment of short- and medium-range nuclear-capable missiles, citing U.S. military actions as the catalyst for this strategic shift. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that the U.S. has ignored warnings from Russia and China, prompting Russia to re-evaluate what it sees as escalating threats. This decision effectively marks the end of a significant arms control framework initiated during the Cold War, particularly following the U.S.'s withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019. Lavrov indicated that the current geopolitical climate leaves no viable option for maintaining the moratorium. Moscow's abandonment of this stance signals the potential for a renewed arms race between two of the world's largest nuclear powers, heightened by tensions with NATO. The implications of this move could further deteriorate already strained U.S.-Russia relations.