MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian former President Dmitry Medvedev blamed NATO countries on Monday for the abandonment of a moratorium on short- and medium-range nuclear missiles and said Moscow would take further steps in response.

Russia ended its moratorium on deploying medium and short-range nuclear missiles on Sunday, citing NATO actions after U.S. withdrew from INF Treaty in 2019.

In a statement Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry linked the decision to efforts by the U.S. and its allies to develop intermediate range weapons and preparations for their deployment in Europe and other parts of the world.