Macron Calls Trump, Stresses INF Treaty’s Importance for EU Security

Local Editor

French President Emmanuel Macron stressed the important role the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty [INF] with Russia plays in safeguarding European security and stability during his telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump on Monday, Macron's office announced.

Earlier, reacting to Trump's statement, Russia called US accusations that it violated the INF Treaty unsubstantiated and warned Washington against unilaterally withdrawing from agreements.

"The President of the Republic underlined the importance of this treaty, especially with regards to European security and our strategic stability," the statement said.

The conversation between the presidents took place shortly after Trump had announced his plans to withdraw from the INF.

Trump explained that he wanted to abandon the INF Treaty due to what he described as the “Russian violations” of the agreement.

The future of the deal may be discussed by the two signatories, as US National Security Adviser John Bolton has arrived in Moscow.

The INF Treaty was signed in 1987 by former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev and then-US President Ronald Reagan, who agreed to destroy all cruise or ground-launched ballistic missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team