US preparing new sanctions against Russia for non-compliance with INF missile treaty
US President Donald Trump instructed Secretary of State Michael Pompeo to prepare additional sanctions against Russia due to Russia’s non-compliance with the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles (INF Treaty), as noted in a statement on the White House website.
According to paragraph C of the US defense budget for fiscal year 2018, the President is obligated to prepare and submit an action plan to Congress dealing with persons responsible for Russia's failure to comply with the terms of the treaty.
The Secretary of State will prepare sanctions in coordination with the US Secretaries of Defense and Commerce, as well as the Director of National Intelligence.
The new restrictions may be directed at Russian government officials. Among the possible measures are an asset freeze, a ban on US entry, and any other sanctions.
The INF Treaty was signed in 1987. It forbids all parties to have ground-launched ballistic missiles and cruise missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 km.
The United States has repeatedly accused Russia of violating the terms of the treaty since 2014. Moscow rejects all accusations and has put forward similar claims against the United States.
For the first time, the US defense budget for fiscal year 2018 includes an article on the allocation of $58 million for "countermeasures in response to violations by Russia of the Treaty on the elimination of intermediate and shorter-range missiles." In particular, it involves the development of a US medium-range land-based missile.