The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty was one of the significant arms control agreements signed in 1987 between the Soviet Union and the United States. It prohibited the production or deployment by the two countries of any ground-based missile that had a range of between 500 and 5,500 kilometers. For many years, the treaty contributed to the minimisation of a nuclear arms race. In August 2025, Russia formally withdrew from the INF Treaty as it no longer suited its security interests, and it is being breached in spirit by the West (especially NATO and the United States). This ruling may mark the beginning of a new and uncertain era in global arms control.
Background of the Treaty
On December 8, 1987, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty was signed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
U.S. President Ronald Reagan, and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev signing the INF Treaty
It has been considered to be one of the most decisive arms control agreements in the Cold War. The treaty did not allow the two nations to produce, test, or deploy ground-launched nuclear and conventional ballistic and cruise missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers. This was the rationale of the treaty as it was expected to mitigate the possibility of a sudden nuclear attack, particularly in Europe, where NATO and the Soviet Union were at loggerheads.
By the early 1990s, both parties destroyed around 2,700 missiles based on the INF Treaty. This was considered a great achievement in arms control and contributed to cooling down the Cold War. With the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the INF Treaty survived, with the obligations being taken over by Russia.
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Nonetheless, as years passed by, issues began to emerge. America started accusing Russia for the breach of breaching the treaty by developing and testing a missile system called 9M729, which was stated to have the ability to cover a range that went beyond the INF restrictions. President Donald Trump 2019 formally revoked the treaty, claiming that Russia is no longer observing the treaty. NATO and the United States gave a green light in supporting the move, whereas Russia accused the West of attempting to circumvent arms control regulations.
Then Russia stopped its involvement in the treaty; however, there was no complete withdrawal, but almost ten years later, on August 05, 2025, Russia finally declared a full withdrawal, after years of growing dissonance with NATO, particularly because of the still ongoing war in Ukraine and the escalating military speculations in Europe.
Implications for the World
Russia’s withdrawal from the INF Treaty has raised alarms across the world, as it removes one of the last major limits on the spread of powerful land-based missiles. Without the treaty, there are now no legal restrictions on developing or placing intermediate-range missiles. Their return to military planning increases the likelihood of conflict, particularly in regions such as Europe and Asia.
Now, with both Russia and the U.S. free from the treaty’s limits as it already withdraw in 2019, there’s fear that similar weapons from the Cold War era will be deployed again. The U.S. has already tested new missiles in recent years, and NATO allies are considering where such weapons might be placed. Russia, in response, has warned that it will take countermeasures, including deploying its missiles near Europe’s borders.
The situation is especially worrying for European countries. Many of them do not want to become a battleground between Russia and NATO. Beyond Europe, the end of the INF Treaty also affects Asia. China, which was never part of the treaty, has built a large arsenal of intermediate-range missiles. Now that the U.S. is no longer bound by the INF, it may place similar missiles in places like Japan, South Korea, or the Philippines to counter China. This could lead to a new round of military buildup in the Indo-Pacific, possibly dragging in others. Russia may feel threatened by this and start deploying more weapons in its eastern territories, raising tensions across the region.
Another major concern is the damage to international arms control efforts. The INF Treaty was one of the few examples of successful nuclear disarmament. If major powers like Russia and the U.S. no longer follow these agreements, smaller countries may lose trust in global rules and start building their own missile or nuclear programs.
Implications for Russia
The withdrawal of Russia from the INF Treaty not only concerns global politics, but it also has significant implications for Russia. On the one hand, exiting the treaty gives Moscow military and strategic freedom. This will enable Russia to update its missile arsenal and deploy it in strategic locations, mainly on the western border in Europe, and even in the Arctic and Asia. The leaders of the Russian army regard this as an additional chance to counter more radically the actions of NATO and the U.S.
The Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement on the withdrawal of the moratorium on the deployment of medium- and short-range missiles is the result of NATO countries’ anti-Russian policy.
This is a new reality all our opponents will have to reckon with. Expect further steps.— Dmitry Medvedev (@MedvedevRussiaE) August 4, 2025
Russia is also purging its military as a part of its national security policy that is concentrated on developing a robust defense position in the world it sees as becoming more hostile towards it. The move has also seen President Putin and other leaders sending a clear message to both the domestic and the international communities that Russia will no longer be held under treaties it feels are outdated or not in its best interest.
Nevertheless, there are also severe consequences and expenses of the decision to Russia. To start with, purchasing and implementing innovative missile systems is costly. The economy of Russia is already struggling with the international sanctions, war in Ukraine, the diminishing foreign investment. Investing even more in the manufacture of missiles can also compromise its military budget, damaging other sectors, such as healthcare services, education, or the civilian infrastructure. Russia may experience the economic problems that the Soviet Union experienced in the 1980s, of spending too much money on armament, as the rest of the economy gets weaker.
Through the termination of the INF Treaty, Russia will become more politically and militarily vulnerable to Western pressures. In response, NATO can choose to escalate its missile defenses and forward deployments, and this would further isolate Russia. The aggressive actions of Russia have already caused concerns to countries in Eastern European countries and may now contribute to the demand for these countries to have more American weapons in their country. This raises the risk of a direct clash and sets the stage for more relevant distrust.
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Conclusion
The Russian exit from the INF Treaty is a sign and the end of an era in international arms control, and opens the door to a more disarranged and unseasonal international world. Lacking policies or constraints, the big powers in the world today are free to make and launch destructive missile systems that pose a threat to the outbreak of war, particularly in the European and Asian world. Not only does this decision jeopardise decades of accomplishments in the effort to decrease nuclear dangers, but it also undermines the confidence of states. With tensions between militaries and a lack of progress on diplomacy, the world is at a crossroads between renewed cooperation and new agreements or further back into a new arms race that may be more unpredictable than that of the Cold War.
