Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday asked the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to jointly de-escalate the situation in Europe since the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty has terminated. 

In a statement published by the Kremlin, Putin criticized the U.S. withdrawal from the INF Treaty last year, which led to the collapse of the pact, increasing the risk of an arms race and intensifying Russia-NATO confrontation. 
  
"Active efforts are required to reduce the deficit of confidence, strengthen regional and global stability, as well as lower the risks arising from misunderstandings and disagreements in the field of missile weapons," he said. 
  
Putin reaffirmed "Russia's adherence to its earlier announced moratorium on the deployment of land-based INF until American-made missiles of similar classes appear." He called on NATO countries to declare a similar moratorium. 
  
"We are ready to take further steps to minimize the negative consequences of the collapse of the INF Treaty based on the principles of equal and indivisible security as well as balanced consideration of all parties' interests," Putin said.

The Russian leader proposed "mutual verification measures" regarding the Aegis Ashore systems with Mk-41 launchers at the U.S. and NATO bases in Europe as well as 9M729 missiles in Russia's Kaliningrad region. 

"The purpose of such verification measures would be to confirm the absence from the facilities, encompassed by the agreements, of ground-launched intermediate and shorter range missiles as well as weapons whose parameters and classification have remained a controversy between the two parties (Russia's missile 9M729)," he said. 

Putin said Russia is ready to refrain from deploying 9M729 missiles in the European part of the country, only if NATO countries take reciprocal steps, excluding the deployment in Europe of weapons previously prohibited by the INF Treaty. 

"While staying committed to the consistent position the 9M729 missile is in full conformity with the terminated INF Treaty, Russia nevertheless is prepared to act in the spirit of goodwill and to refrain from deploying the 9M729 missiles in its European territory further on, but on the condition of reciprocal steps by the NATO countries, which will rule out the deployment in Europe of weapons that were outlawed under the INF Treaty," he stressed.

(With input from Xinhua)