Russian servicemen fire man-portable air-defence systems in the town of Sudzha, recaptured by Russian forces amid Russia's military operation in Ukraine, in Kursk region, Russia, on March 22, 2025. Photo: VCG

Russia said Monday that it no longer considers itself bound by self-imposed restrictions on deploying medium- and short-range ground-based missiles, amid the backdrop of the recent spats between US President Donald Trump and Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev.

Analysts said that Russia's move signals that Moscow is unlikely to make concessions at the cost of its interests in the upcoming cease-fire talks with Washington, which is increasingly finding itself with limited leverage to pressure the Kremlin.

Elaborating on the decision, Russia's foreign ministry noted the disappearance of "conditions for maintaining a unilateral moratorium on the deployment of similar systems" under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday. 

Western actions have led to the buildup of destabilizing missile capabilities in the regions near Russia, posing a direct threat to the country's strategic security, the ministry said.

"The Russian Foreign Ministry's statement on the withdrawal of the moratorium on the deployment of medium- and short-range missiles is the result of NATO countries' anti-Russian policy… This is a new reality all our opponents will have to reckon with. Expect further steps," Medvedev said in an X post on Tuesday. 

In an earlier interview with TASS, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said that Russia's moratorium on deploying intermediate- and short-range missiles is coming to its logical end, as the West did not appreciate Moscow's restraint.

As of this report, neither the White House nor the Pentagon has issued a response to Russia's announcement.

The nuclear treaty was an arms control deal between the US and the Soviet Union. In 2019, the US side withdrew from the treaty, citing Russian non-compliance. Russia had suspended the treaty and declared a moratorium on the condition that the US does the same, according to Xinhua. 

Li Haidong, a professor at China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Tuesday that Russia's announcement indicates Moscow expects further escalation of the conflict to be increasingly unavoidable. 

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict intensifies, the actual deployment of intermediate-range missiles by the US and the West has already undermined the treaty, prompting Russia to consider adjustments based on this new reality, the expert added. 

According to the New York Times, in 2024, the US announced that Washington would begin "episodic deployments" of intermediate-range missiles in Germany starting in 2026. Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed on Friday that missile "Oreshnik," capable of carrying nuclear warheads, had entered service and would be deployed to Belarus.

Russia's move can be seen as its countermeasure against the US and West. But more importantly, it demonstrates Russia's uncompromising stance with no intention of making concessions at the cost of its interests in the upcoming cease-fire talks, Li said.

The Associated Press described this week as a "pivotal moment" in the Ukraine crisis, as the US deadline for the Kremlin to reach a peace deal or face sanctions approaches on Friday. Meanwhile, Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected in Moscow midweek, with another envoy Keith Kellogg reported to visit Kiev this week, according to media reports. 

Prior to the cease-fire talks, US President Trump said on Friday that he had ordered two nuclear submarines "to be positioned in the appropriate regions" in response to remarks from Medvedev, who accused Trump of playing the ultimatum game with Russia, Xinhua reported. 

The US attempt to pressure Russia into making concessions to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict is unlikely to succeed, as Russia is unlikely to swallow the bitter pill to meet the US unilateral demands, Li said.

He added that the US is also unlikely to accept Russia's countermeasures, further straining US-Russia relations. "There is no lowest point in US-Russia ties, only lower points," Li said.

The expert noted that US' repeated attempts to pressure Russia have yielded limited results. Such continuous pressure reveals not that the US has become stronger, but rather that it lacks cards to play.

Commenting on the situation faced by Washington, the CNN said on Monday that "This [the Ukraine crisis] should be seen as Trump's war. It is the defining conflict of his presidency and of the post-9/11 era."