Russia President Vladimir Putin of Russia says the United States’ last year “grave mistake” in abandoning a landmark nuclear treaty with Moscow threatens the world with the risk of another nuclear arms race as the Kremlin puts forth a proposal to negotiate new verification measures with Washington.

Putin said on Monday that Washington’s exit from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) was a "grave mistake,” which increases “confrontational potential” between the world nuclear powers.
"We consider the U.S. withdrawal from the INF Treaty, as a result of which it has ceased to operate, a serious mistake that increases the risks of unleashing a missile arms race,” Putin said.

The president said the INF was a key element “in maintaining predictability and restraint in the missile-related sector throughout Europe,” due to tensions between NATO and Russia.