Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus in connection with the US withdrawal from the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles

02 August 2019

The Republic of Belarus regretted the withdrawal of the United States from the Treaty on the Elimination of Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles (INF), which leads to its termination.

The INF Treaty was one of the most important elements of modern disarmament architecture. The treaty significantly contributed to reducing tensions and building trust on the European continent through the banning of an entire class of cruise and ballistic missiles and in fact paved the way for practical steps in the field of nuclear disarmament. The termination of the INF Treaty seriously damages international security and strategic stability, creating the prerequisites for an arms race in various regions of the world, primarily in Europe.

As a responsible and consistent party to the INF Treaty, Belarus was ready to participate in any constructive efforts to preserve its viability. We have repeatedly proposed to solve problematic issues through a professional and mutually respectful dialogue within the framework of the mechanisms provided for by the Treaty. Unfortunately, our offers remained unanswered.

In the current situation, we urge all interested states on both sides of the Atlantic to make maximum efforts to prevent the deployment of intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles on the European continent. Belarus stands ready for constructive and result-oriented work to achieve this goal.

August 2, 2019

print version