(Video) Rajya Sabha TV (RSTV) The Big Picture: US vs Russia: N-Arms Treaty & Venezuela

Topic: US vs Russia: N-Arms Treaty & Venezuela

Guest:

Harsh V. Pant, (Head Strategic Studies, Observer Research Foundation)
Sheel Kant Sharma, (Former Ambassador)
Sreeram Chaulia, (Dean, Jindal School of International Affairs)

Topic Description:

In an escalating standoff over nuclear weapons, Russia and the United States have suspended compliance with the Cold War-era Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, prompting fears of a new arms race that analysts and politicians say could push the world "much closer" to a nuclear war. The long-running dispute between Washington and Moscow came to a head on Friday when US President Donald Trump accused Russia of violating the 1987 bilateral treaty with "impunity", and announced his government was suspending its obligations under the landmark pact. Pledging to "move forward" with its own military response options, Trump said the US will withdraw from the accord in six months unless Moscow destroyed land-based missiles allegedly deployed in violation of the treaty. In a tit-for-tat move on Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he was also suspending Moscow's participation in the agreement. Russia will start work on creating new missiles, including hypersonic weapons, he said, adding that Moscow will not deploy such weapons in the European part of the country or elsewhere unless the US does so. The Russia, US standoff is developing on another front as well, in South America’s Venezuela. On this edition of The Big Picture we analyse the escalating tensions between, Russia and the United states.