Current Affairs - International - Discussion

Russia has officially exited the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, originally signed with the United States to eliminate ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500–5,500 km. The US had already withdrawn in 2019, alleging Russian violations, which undermined the treaty’s effectiveness. Russia cited changing security conditions, particularly US missile deployments in the Philippines and joint drills in Australia, as reasons for withdrawal. This move has heightened concerns over a potential new nuclear arms race and further weakened the global arms control framework, alongside other key treaties such as the NPT, CTBT, and New START.