Russia Ready To 'save' INF Arms Treaty, Urges Europe To Help

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday Moscow was ready to work with Washington to save a crucial arms control treaty, calling on Europe to help in faltering talks

Moscow, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Jan, 2019 ) :Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday Moscow was ready to work with Washington to save a crucial arms control treaty, calling on Europe to help in faltering talks.

Moscow's top diplomat spoke after fresh talks between US and Russian officials in Geneva to salvage the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty (INF) went nowhere.

"We are still ready to work to save the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty," Lavrov told reporters.

He called on European nations to help influence Washington, saying they had a major stake in the issue and should not be "at the tail-end of the US position".

Talks have essentially ground to a halt, Lavrov said, describing Washington's logic as: "You are violating the treaty and we are not.

" Last month Washington said it would withdraw from the INF treaty within 60 days if Russia did not dismantle missiles that the US claims breach the deal.

Russia denies it has violated the treaty, which forbids ground-launched short- and intermediate-range missiles.

On Tuesday, US and Russian diplomats blamed each other for pushing the agreement to the brink of collapse.

Russians said Americans had confirmed Washington's intention to exit the treaty from February 2.

Russia's top negotiator in Geneva, deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov, said the Geneva talks centred on Russia's 9M729 system but that US demands regarding the missile were unacceptable.