The United States accused Russia of violating a historic nuclear test ban treaty by testing a ground-launched cruise missile.
U.S officials said President Barack Obama informed Russian President Vladimir Putin in a letter Monday of the United States’ determination that Russia broke the 1987 treaty.
The move was first reported Monday evening by The New York Times.
The U.S. said Russia tested a new ground-launched cruise missile, breaking the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty that President Ronald Reagan signed with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty was designed to eliminate ground-launched cruise missiles with ranges of 500 to 5,500 kilometers.
The accusation comes during a time of heightened tension between Washington and Moscow over Russia’s support of separatists fighting in eastern Ukraine and its decision to grant asylum to National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden.
U.S. officials said the Obama administration is willing to hold high-level discussions on the issue and wants assurances that Russia will comply with the treaty requirements going forward.
There was no immediate response from Moscow.