Peace Action: With INF Ultimatum, Trump's Maximalist Approach Strikes Again

In response to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's announcement that the U.S. will formally announce its intention to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 60 days if Russia does not come into compliance with the treaty by then, Paul Kawika Martin, Senior Director for Policy and Political Affairs at Peace Action, released the following statement:

"The administration's decision to forestall withdrawal from the INF treaty offers a glimmer of hope for those committed to reducing rather than expanding the risk of nuclear war, but only a glimmer. Mirroring the administration's maximalist approach to diplomacy with North Korea, the approach here is essentially, 'either capitulate or don't, there is no middle ground.' That's a dangerous way to negotiate with so much at stake.

"Rather than offering an ultimatum, the U.S. should have started with intensive diplomacy with Russia to address the concerns of both parties. That will likely be a harder lift after today's announcement, but it's still the right approach. Failing that, we may witness an acceleration of the arms race that Trump lamented just yesterday, a race that the U.S. continues to push by escalating nuclear weapons spending to a projected $1.7 trillion over 30 years.

"The Trump Administration's propensity to tear up successful treaties makes Americans less safe. The U.S. and NATO need to find a solution with Russia on INF and look ahead to extending the critical New START treaty that expires in 2021. Voters want to see less nuclear weapons, and agreements that will decrease the likelihood that these catastrophic weapons will ever be used again."