The United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo released a statement announcing the U.S. withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was implemented in 1987, following the Cold War. Pompeo released the U.S. official withdraw Feb. 1 on account of Russia being suspected of developing a new missile that would violate the range limits set by the treaty.

Russia has not complied with the treaty. President Vladimir Putin has since said Russia will continue working on creating new missiles. Putin told the ministers not to initiate disarmament talks with Washington, stating that the U.S. has been slow to responding to such moves.

“Nobody in the administration has laid out what the action-reaction cycle looks like as the U.S. makes all these moves– building new warheads, withdrawing from treaties, pursuing new missiles,” said Jon Wolfsthal, a nuclear expert on the National Security Council during the Obama administration.

The U.S. decision to leave the treaty has raised concern whether it will ultimately lead to another nuclear arms race. A nuclear arms race would cost both nations a significant amount of money. China has urged the U.S. to resolve all differences with Russia. The U.S. State Department responded saying that the U.S. could not be “restricted by the treaty” while Russia continues to violate the guidelines.

“Countries must be held accountable when they break the rules,” according to Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State, “Russia’s effort to produce new nuclear weapons puts Europeans and Americans at greater risk. It aims to put the United States at a military disadvantage.”

Although the U.S. has declared its withdrawal from the treaty, a six-month process must be completed before it is official. This process involves an order of diplomatic notice sent to Russia. Once the notice has been issued, three courses of action could be taken. Russia could agree to meet America’s demand for compliance, the U.S. could re-enter the treaty or both parties can agree to leave the treaty entirely.

“The thought of another Arms Race makes me feel like there is something the government is hiding from American citizens, and that there is some sort of danger we should be worried about,” Lilly Sharples, senior.