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Washington and Moscow have long questioned each other's
commitment to the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF)
Treaty, which banned nuclear and conventional ground-launched
ballistic and cruise missiles with a range of 500-5,500 km
(300-3,400 miles).
Representative Ed Royce, chairman of the House of
Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement
that Russia President Vladimir Putin has disregarded Russia's
obligations under the INF Treaty for years.
"His recent deployment of banned nuclear-tipped missiles poses
serious threats to U.S. national security interests," Royce
said. "And it's just one more example of Russian aggression that
undermines global stability."
The U.S. military said in February that Russia had secretly
deployed the ground-launched SSC-8 cruise missile in violation
of the treaty. Russia has denied violating the treaty.
Royce filed his measure as an amendment to the National Defense
Authorization Act (NDAA), a must-pass annual bill that sets
policy for the Pentagon.
The deadline for filing NDAA amendments was Friday. Royce's
filing also coincided with President Donald Trump's first
face-to-face meeting with Putin since he became the U.S.
president in January.
Trump promised a rapprochement with Moscow as he campaigned for
president but many U.S. lawmakers, including many of his fellow
Republicans, have sought to take a tough line against Russia.
(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Bill Trott)
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