Trump’s Ambassador to NATO Sets Off Diplomatic Incident with a Nuclear Edge

Michael Birnbaum and Paul Sonne | Washington Post

The U.S. ambassador to NATO set off alarm bells Tuesday when she suggested that the United States might “take out” Russian missiles that U.S. officials say violate a landmark arms control treaty. Although Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison’s comments were somewhat ambiguous, arms control experts said they could be interpreted to mean a preemptive strike. Such a move could lead to nuclear war.

U.S. Defense Secretary Says Russian Violation of Arms Control Treaty ‘Untenable’

Idrees Ali and Robin Emmott | Reuters

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Thursday that Russia’s violation of an arms control treaty was “untenable” and unless it changed course the United States would respond. The United States believes Russia is developing a ground-launched system in breach of a Cold War treaty, known as the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), that could allow Moscow to launch a nuclear strike on Europe at short notice.

Pompeo Backs Away from Denuclearization Goal for North Korea

Matthew Pennington | Associated Press

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo distanced himself Wednesday from a previously stated goal of getting North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons by the end of President Donald Trump’s first term in January 2021.Trump himself said last week that he doesn’t want to get into a “time game” over how long it will take North Korea to denuclearize.

North Korea Ramps Up Pressure on U.S. in Nuclear Talks

Andrew Jeong | Wall Street Journal

Emboldened by praise from President Trump, North Korea is moving to squeeze more concessions out of the U.S., signaling a tougher negotiating stance ahead of a possible second meeting between the countries’ leaders.

U.S. Withdraws From 1955 Treaty Normalizing Relations With Iran

Edward Wong and David Sanger | New York Times

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Wednesday that the United States was pulling out of a six-decade-old treaty with Iran that had provided a basis for normalizing relations between the two countries, including diplomatic and economic exchanges.

India Risks U.S. Sanctions with $5-Billion Purchase of Russian Missiles

Economic Times

The United States has warned India against a planned purchase of S-400 surface-to-air missiles from Russia when President Vladimir Putin's visits New Delhi this week, saying such an acquisition would attract sanctions under U.S. law.