The return to the nuclear risk between Washington and Moscow, but also Beijing

Putting their threat to execution, the Americans trigger their withdrawal from a nuclear treaty with Moscow at the end of the Cold War. They accuse the Russians of not respecting it any more, but especially want to have their hands free against China. In the wake, Putin did the same.

Euromissile crisis airs between two Cold War superpowers, as US puts last October threat into action by deciding Friday to withdraw from Mid-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF). With this effective withdrawal in six months, the geopolitical duel between Moscow and Washington takes a nuclear turn, threatening to weaken the disarmament architecture put in place since the Cold War. But the similarities with this period hide profound differences. The United States especially wants to withdraw from the INF because China is not part of this bilateral Russian-US treaty, which gives it a strategic advantage in Asia. Moscow also decided to withdraw, not because of China, but arguing that Washington had violated the text. Vladimir Putin said he supports his Defense Minister's proposal to begin the development of intermediate-range supersonic missiles.

........