Putin says Russia to suspend INF Treaty

Vladimir Putin

MOSCOW, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that Russia will suspend the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in a mirror response to the decision of the United States.

"We will do as follows. We will come up with a tit-for-tat response. American partners have announced suspension of their participation in the treaty, and we will suspend," Putin said at a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Putin said Russia will follow the example of the United States and withdraw from the nuclear arms control deal within six months.

The U.S. administration announced on Friday that the United States is withdrawing from the INF Treaty with Russia in six months, starting from Feb. 2.