Watch our video to find out about the latest decision.
Trump has announced that he will withdraw the US from the INF treaty. This treaty has been a bedrock of nuclear arms control, having eliminated thousands of deadly nuclear missiles in Europe.
This is a very dangerous moment for the whole world. A new nuclear arms race is emerging and the threat of nuclear war grows by the day.
The movement must be ready to rise up to oppose the return of US nuclear missiles on British soil if the treaty is scrapped at the end of the 6-month withdrawal period.
Campaign updates
11 March 2019
CND has launched a new action encouraging MPs to support a Parliamentary statement expressing concern regarding the suspension of the INF treaty and calling on the government to use its influence in the United Nations Security Council and with other UN and NPT states to investigate and address compliance concerns and find effective ways to bring the INF Treaty back into full legal force.
4 March 2019
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin signed a decree suspending Moscow’s participation in the INF treaty. The Russian government has said the suspension will last until the US ‘ends its violations of the treaty or until it terminates’.
13 February 2019
1 February 2019 – Trump announces INF withdrawal
- CND press release: INF treaty – Britain must refuse US nuclear missiles
23rd January 2019 – 10 days to save the INF treaty
7th January 2019 – our submission to the Defence Committee on the Consequences for UK Defence of INF withdrawal
2nd January 2019 – launched updated lobby letter to the Foreign Secretary
21st December 2018 – letter from the Foreign Office
Thousands of you wrote to the Foreign Office to find out what the government is doing to save the INF. Here is their response. This is clearly inadequate, so we are preparing a follow-up letter. More details soon.
5th December 2018 – visit to the Foreign Office
Background
President Trump has announced the US will withdraw from the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Force (INF) Treaty with Russia. Russia has since begun this process itself.
CND calls on both countries to halt their withdrawal and fully comply with the terms of the treaty.
The INF is a vital nuclear treaty which has ensured the destruction of nearly 2,700 short- and medium-range missiles and has played a crucial role in ensuring that US missiles are not situated in Europe.
This withdrawal from the INF treaty is part of a wider pattern of US disengagement from essential international nuclear treaties. Earlier this year, the US withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, removing its support for a treaty which sought to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Furthermore, the US withdrawal from the INF treaty also calls into question whether Washington will work with Moscow to renew the New START treaty in 2021, when it is due to expire. The New START treaty, signed in 2010, limits the number of nuclear warheads of both Russia and the US to no more than 700.
This treaty is therefore crucial for preventing a global arms race and ensuring nuclear de-escalation. However, given the US’ current attitude towards global agreements it is now uncertain whether Washington will continue to limit its nuclear weapons through engagement in the process of renewing New START.
Britain has an important role to play in this crisis. It should be encouraging a diplomatic solution to the crisis, rather than fanning the flames that can lead to nuclear war. Standing by and allowing crucial nuclear arms control agreements to be torn up places the whole world in great danger.
It’s important to act now. Together we can make sure that our calls for a safer world are heard.