The Kremlin expressed concern Monday about U.S. President Donald Trump's pledge to pull out of a key Cold War arms deal with Russia, saying the move would "make the world a more dangerous place."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Russia has not violated the treaty and if the United States goes on to develop new missiles then Russia would be forced to respond in kind.
Peskov said Russian officials want to get more information about the U.S. plans regarding the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty during talks this week with National Security Adviser John Bolton.
Bolton is due to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Monday and President Vladimir Putin.
Trump has accused Russia of building and testing missiles that violate the 1987 treaty.
The deal bans the U.S. and Russia from building, testing, and stockpiling ground-launched nuclear missiles with a range from 500 to 5,000 kilometers.
President Trump Saturday said Moscow has violated the agreement.
"They have been violating it for many years. And we're not going to let them violate a nuclear agreement and go out and do weapons and we are not allowed to," he said.
U.S. officials going back to the Obama administration have accused Russia of deliberately deploying a land-based cruise missile to pose a threat to NATO.
Russia has denied violating the INF agreement and says U.S. missile defense systems are a violation.
Many so-called hawks in Washington say the INF treaty keeps the U.S. from developing a new generation of weapons in a world that faces new global security challenges.
“We'll have to develop those weapons, unless Russia comes to us and China comes to us and they all come to us and say let's really get smart and let's none of us develop those weapons, but if Russia's doing it and if China's doing it, and we're adhering to the agreement, that's unacceptable,” Trump said.