Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (1 Feburary 2019)

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France, alongside its partners and allies, has concluded that Russia has developed a missile system, the 9M729, which violates the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF). Russia has not responded to requests for explanation or to repeated calls over the past few months for compliance with the treaty.

France regrets reaching a situation in which the United States has had to provide notice of its withdrawal from the INF Treaty.

France calls on Russia to use the six-month period triggered by the suspension of U.S. obligations provided for under the INF Treaty in order to return to full compliance. During this period of time, France will continue to promote in-depth dialogue with Russia and to coordinate closely with its NATO allies.

In this context, France reaffirms its attachment to arms control instruments which contribute to ensuring strategic stability. In this respect, we call on Europeans and all parties to intensify efforts to preserve the existing conventional and nuclear arms control instruments. As such, France encourages Russia and the United States to extend the New Start treaty on their nuclear arsenals beyond 2021 and to negotiate a replacement treaty.