Putin to meet Trump after nuclear treaty threat

During a meeting with US National Security Advisor John Bolton in Moscow on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was open to having new talks with US President Donald Trump in the coming weeks.

Bolton's meeting with Putin took place against the backdrop of Trump saying that he was considering a withdrawal from the landmark "Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty" (INF) treaty. That has left Washington's allies in Europe scrambling for information about Trump's reasoning and sparked security concerns.

Putin-Bolton meeting: Key points

• Putin suggested a meeting with Trump on the sidelines of a November 11 event in Paris. Both leaders are scheduled to appear at the event to commemorate the 100th anniversary of end of World War I. 
• Bolton responded that Trump "will look forward" to seeing Putin there.
• The Russian leader also told Bolton that he had been surprised by recent actions that Washington had taken against Moscow, describing them as unprovoked.
• Speaking after their meeting, Bolton warned Russia "don't mess with American elections." According to Bolton, the meddling did not affect the outcome of the 2016 presidential election, but it created mistrust with Moscow. Russia has denied any meddling.
• The 69-year-old praised the "productive" talks with Putin, saying the two discussed arms control and the INF treaty. Bolton added that Washington has not yet formally withdrawn from the pact.

Series of meetings: Bolton discussed the fate of the nuclear treaty with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Russian Security Council chief Nikolai Patrushev on his first day in Moscow. Russia was ready to work with the US to salvage the accord, the Russian Security Council said after the meeting between Patrushev and Bolton.

What is the INF? The 1987 treaty negotiated by then-President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev prohibits the US and Russia from possessing, producing or test-flying ground-launched nuclear cruise missiles with a range of 500 to 5,500 kilometers (300 to 3,400 miles). The treaty ended the rapid arms race between both sides towards the end of the Cold War. The Soviet Union installed nearly 400 nuclear warheads pointed at Western Europe, while the US and NATO responded by stationing Pershing and Cruise missiles in Europe.

Why is the US threatening to pull out of the INF? President Trump has accused Russia of "violating the terms of the treaty." In 2014, then-US President Barack Obama formally accused Moscow of violating the accord by producing and testing a ground-launched cruise missile. Russia has repeatedly denied the accusations.

Could this lead to a new Cold War?  Trump warned that the US would go ahead and develop nuclear weapons unless Russia signed on to a fresh agreement. The Kremlin responded by saying that Russia would be forced to respond in kind. Pavel Felgenhauer, an independent Russian military and political analyst, told DW that the world may need to prepare for a new Cold War.

Read more: Prepare for a 'new Cold War' without INF, Russia analyst says

Divided Europe: German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the treaty was a key pillar of Europe's security architecture and the threat to withdraw was "regrettable." British Defense Minister Gavin Williamson told the Financial Times that the UK stood "resolutely" behind Washington over the issue, and that the Kremlin was making a mockery of the agreement. Polish President Andrzej Duda said Trump's announcement was "understandable" in light of Russian activities.

rs, ap/msh (AP, AFP, Reuters)

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