World would be less safe

The Kremlin yesterday said the world would be less safe if Washington goes ahead with plans to withdraw from a Cold War-era nuclear weapons treaty that banned intermediate-range missiles.

"Such steps, if taken, will make the world more dangerous," said presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov as he rejected claims by US President Donald Trump that Russia had violated the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF).

"Russia has been and remains committed to the provisions of this treaty," he said.

The US had previously undermined the foundations of the agreement, Peskov added.

"The intention to withdraw from this document is of the deepest concern."

Peskov reiterated an earlier statement by President Vladimir Putin that Russia would never strike first even if threatened with a nuclear attack.

"We don't feel that we have the right to inflict the first strike," he said.

The INF resolved a crisis over Soviet nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles targeting Western capitals.

The treaty banning intermediate-range nuclear and conventional missiles was signed in 1987 by then US president Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, who on Sunday said that "dropping these agreements... shows a lack of wisdom" and was a "mistake".

US national security advisor John Bolton is in Moscow for two days of talks in which the issue will be discussed.

He may also speak about the treaty with President Vladimir Putin today, according to Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who said the Russian leader was looking for "clarifications" about US intentions.

French President Emmanuel Macron stressed the importance of a Cold War-era nuclear weapons treaty during a phone call with Donald Trump, his office said yesterday.

"The president noted the importance of this treaty, in particular for European security and our strategic stability," Macron's office said of the call between the two leaders on Sunday.

China called on the United States to "think twice" about its decision to ditch the nuclear weapons treaty with Russia.

"It needs to be emphasised that it is completely wrong to bring up China when talking about withdrawal from the treaty," said Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying yesterday.

The treaty has played an important role in advancing the disarmament process and maintaining a strategic balance and global stability, Hua said.