On Friday U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis signaled that Washington might soon decide how to respond to what it says are Russian violations of a Cold War-era arms control agreement, saying the United States was conferring with allies. Washington and Moscow have long questioned each other’s commitment to the INF treaty, which banned nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with a range of 500-5,500 km. The United States has accused Moscow of developing and fielding a ground-launched cruise missile, in violation of its INF Treaty obligations.
