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NEW YORK, New York – United Nations Secretary-General Antnio Guterres has expressed his “deep regret” that the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty between the United States and Russia came to an end.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, the UN chief said he had “consistently called on both the United States and the Russian Federation to resolve their differences through the consultation mechanisms provided for in the Treaty and regrets they have been unable to do so.”

In 1987, U.S. and Soviet Union leaders Ronald Reagan and ;Mikhail Gorbachev signed the INF treaty to eliminate land-based nuclear missiles and medium-range arsenals from Europe.

Mr. Guterres noted that “in the current deteriorating international security environment, previously-agreed arms control and disarmament agreements are increasingly under threat.”

Since its entry-into-force on 1 June 1988, the Cold War-era arms control contributed tangibly to the maintenance of peace and stability internationally and especially in Europe, playing an important role in reducing risk, building confidence and helping to bring the Cold War to an end.

According to news reports, both sides walked away from the pact, each blaming the other for its demise and triggering fears of a new arms race.

“The Secretary-General emphasizes the need to avoid destabilizing developments and to urgently seek agreement on a new common path for international arms control”, the statement said.

Mr. Guterres calls on Russia and the U.S. “to extend New START and to undertake negotiations on further arms control measures”, concluded the statement.

The U.S. gave 6 months notice it was withdrawing from the treaty. This was on 2 February 2019, so to the day on Friday it opted out of the decades-old agreement.

“The United States will not remain party to a treaty that is deliberately violated by Russia,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement on Friday announcing its formal withdrawal from the treaty. “Russia’s noncompliance under the treaty jeopardizes U.S. supreme interests as Russia’s development and fielding of a treaty-violating missile system represents a direct threat to the United States and our allies and partners.”

“The United States remains committed to effective arms control that advances U.S., allied, and partner security; is verifiable and enforceable; and includes partners that comply responsibly with their obligations. ; President Trump has charged this Administration with beginning a new chapter by seeking a new era of arms control that moves beyond the bilateral treaties of the past,” the statement said.

Mikhail Gorbachev, 88, who was involved in the negotiation of the agreement and was Russia’s signatory to it, alongside Ronald Reagan signing for the U.S., expressed his disappointment with the move. “The termination of the treaty will hardly be beneficial for the international community, this move undermines security not only in Europe, but in the whole world,” he told Interfax.

“There still were some hopes pinned on our partners, that, unfortunately, did not materialize,” he added. “I think, now we all can see that a blow has been dealt to strategic security This U.S move will cause uncertainty and chaotic development of international politics.”.