Washington should rethink treaty withdrawal threat

The United States set a deadline of 60 days for Russia to comply with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty on Tuesday, with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issuing a warning at NATO talks in Brussels that Washington would activate a six-month notice period for leaving the pact unless Russia "returns to full and verifiable compliance".

After US President Donald Trump threatened the US withdrawal from the INF deal in October, the latest US ultimatum shows Washington is still eager to exert more strategic pressure on Moscow.

Washington has repeatedly accused Moscow of being in violation and noncompliance of the INF Treaty, while Moscow has always denied the accusations.