The European Union expressed regret over Russia's decision to suspend its participation in the Offensive Arms Reduction Treaty (ARM) and called on the Kremlin to respect its own commitments to this treaty in the field of nuclear arms control.
This is stated in the statement of the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell.
"The EU attaches the highest importance to the new Treaty on Nuclear Nonproliferation and considers it a decisive contribution to international and European security. The reduction of deployed strategic nuclear arsenals provided for by the treaty is enhanced, in particular, by its reliable verification mechanism and contributes to the implementation of Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. general reducing the global stockpile of deployed nuclear weapons," the statement said.
The EU said that suspending the treaty or expiring without a proper follow-up agreement could undermine the European security architecture and would significantly set back arms control efforts.
"The EU calls on Russia to fulfill its obligations under the treaty by facilitating inspections on Russian territory and participating in the work of the implementation body, the Bilateral Consultative Commission, within the terms established by the treaty," the statement reads.