Poroshenko: Ukraine has no restrictions to create long-range ballistic missiles
At the National Security and Defense Council's meeting, Ukraine’s President, Petro Poroshenko announced that Ukraine no longer has an obligation to refrain from developing powerful long-range missile systems.
Poroshenko stressed that Ukraine welcomes the United States' decision to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty, formally Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles), signed between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1987.
"We consider this decision to be justified and in line with the current security situation both on the European continent and in the world as a whole ... Separately, I want to emphasize that this removes certain restrictions and obligations that Ukraine observed previously. Draw your own conclusions...I insist on our right to create modern and effective weapons systems for self-defense, including powerful missile systems, "said the president.
According to him, the development of long-range missiles by Ukraine is an effective criterion for deterring Russia's aggression.
Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan signed the INF Treaty in December 1987. The treaty entered into force in the summer of 1988. The United States and the Soviet Union pledged not to develop, test or deploy cruise and ballistic land-based missiles of medium (from 1,000 to 5,500 km) and shorter (from 500 to 1,000 km) range.
Washington and NATO believe that the Russia violated the INF Treaty by creating the 9M729 missile capable of flying more than 500 km.
In December 2018, the United States threatened to withdraw from the agreement if Russia did not return to the fulfillment of its contractual obligations within 60 days. At the end of two months deadline, Washington announced the suspension of the U.S. participation in the INF Treaty.