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Russia had hoped that Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden could
discuss the treaty when they meet later this month at a summit
in Geneva.
But the Biden administration informed Moscow in May that it
would not re-enter the pact after the Trump administration quit
it last year.
The Kremlin said on Monday that the U.S. decision to withdraw
from the treaty had "significantly upset the balance of
interests" among the pact's members and had compelled Russia to
exit.
"This caused serious damage to the treaty's observance and its
significance in building confidence and transparency, (causing)
a threat to Russia's national security," the Kremlin said in a
statement on its website.
Moscow had hoped that Biden would reverse his predecessor's
decision. But the Biden administration did not change tack,
accusing Russia of violating the pact, something Moscow denied.
In January, Russia announced its own plans to leave the treaty,
and the government submitted legislation to parliament last
month to formalise its departure.
Russian officials said they regretted the U.S. decision not to
rejoin, calling it a "political mistake" and warned the move
would not create an atmosphere conducive to arms control
discussions at a the Geneva summit later this month.
(Reporting by Anton Kolodyazhnyy; Writing by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber;
Editing by Andrew Osborn)
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