US President Donald Trump has reportedly issued a memo to order US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to file sanctions against Russia in response to alleged violations of a medium-range nuclear arms deal or INF.
Sputnik exposed on Thursday (17/5), in the draft law (bill) spending for fiscal year 2018 requires that Trump develop and submit to Congress a plan to punish Russia for its disobedience to the Treaty reached in 1987.
The measures contained in the bill, including travel bans and asset freeze on senior Russian officials who were judged to be responsible for facilitating Russia's non-compliance with the treaty.
The INF agreement itself contains a ban for both countries to develop, deploy and test ballistic missiles or missiles launched onshore with a distance of 450 to 4,000 kilomenter.
Russia's Foreign Ministry has repeatedly voiced concern over US claims seen as a way to justify more sanctions against Russia.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on several occasions has argued that Russia violated the agreement, said there was no evidence, and in turn accused Washington of using the treaty.
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