The US is ready to keep the rocket pact with Russia: the Pentagon called the condition

US Secretary of Defense James Mattis called the current situation with the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Short-Range Missiles (INF) between the United States and Russia "simply unacceptable," writes Voice of America.

The head of the Pentagon has suggested that a bilateral agreement that was once considered one of the pillars of an arms control system is “coming to an end.”

“We’re coming to an end, because it’s simply unacceptable when the two countries sign an agreement, and then one side violates it and the other observes,” Mattis announced to journalists on Wednesday. “I mean, this is no longer a treaty, it is being violated by Russia.”

Mattis said the United States will continue to work with its European allies to save the agreement, and on December 4, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet with NATO foreign ministers in Brussels to discuss its future.

However, he did not build high hopes.

“We will track any signs of Russia’s return to compliance. This is the best result. This is what we want, said the Minister of Defense. - As you know, two administrations in a row wanted this and worked on it. These were the concerted efforts of both administrations, but none of them succeeded. ”

The INF Treaty was signed by President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in December 1987. It provided for the destruction of all nuclear and conventional missiles with a range from 500 to 5500 kilometers, as well as their launchers.

Both parties accuse each other of breach of contract. From the US point of view, Russia violated the treaty by testing the SSC-8 cruise missile in the 2008 year. Russia sees a violation of the treaty in the decision of the United States to establish bases in Poland and Romania, from which Tomahawk missiles can be launched.

In October, US President Donald Trump announced his intention to withdraw from the treaty.

According to Mattis, breaches of the treaty by Russia "are no longer the subject of dispute among our European allies."

“Our Congress believes that Russia is committing substantial breaches of the treaty,” he added.

According to US officials, the question now is how the United States should respond. Mattis noted that the Trump administration is discussing this issue with the US allies, but did not go into details.

“By the way, this week the American team, which, as usual, is headed by the State Department, is once again working with our allies,” said the Minister of Defense.

Recall that earlier US President Donald Trump said the United States intends to withdraw from the treaty with Russia on medium and shorter range missiles (INF), as Russia violates the pact and this prevents America from developing new weapons. Besides he threatened nuclear capacity building, "until some come to their senses."