Fears on the rise over arms race as US formally withdraws from nuclear treaty with Russia

Critics and close watchers are now expressing grave fears of an impending arms race after the United States of America on Friday officially withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty signed with Russia.

Reports say the development now puts an end to a landmark arms control pact that has limited the development of ground-based missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers and is sparking fears of a new arms race.

“Russia is solely responsible for the treaty’s demise,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement Friday announcing the US’ formal withdrawal from the Cold-War era nuclear treaty.

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Pompeo said, “Russia failed to return to full and verified compliance through the destruction of its noncompliant missile system.”

NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, told CNN‘s Hala Gorani that the treaty’s end was a “serious setback.”

The move comes after a senior US defense official revealed that the US military prepares to test a new non-nuclear mobile-launched cruise missile developed specifically to challenge Moscow in Europe.

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