The United States will raise concerns of Russia's violation of a 1987 arms control agreement on Thursday when both sides meet in Moscow to discuss reciprocal claims on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF).

Both countries have doubted each other's compliance to the treaty as tensions escalate over Russia's alleged involvement in the Ukraine crisis, and was further exacerbated following last week's NATO conference, according to Voice of America.

Like Us on Facebook

Washington has accused Moscow of testing a ground-based cruise missile in July, which is banned under the INF.

The treaty prohibits conventional and nuclear ground-based cruise and ballistic missiles with a range of 300 to 3,400 miles.

The goal of the U.S. delegation - led by Undersecretary for Arms Control and International Security Rose Gottemoeller - is to convince Russia to re-conform to the provisions stipulated under the INF, said State Department spokesperson Marie Harf.

But getting Russia to admit to the violation will be tricky, said Russian foreign policy and affairs expert Stephen Blank.

"I think the Russians will accuse us of violating this treaty or some other treaty," he added.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has already challenged U.S. commitment to the INF, accusing the latter of breaching its provisions with its use of armed drones which experts claim fall under the cruise missile category, ITAR-TASS reported.

Moscow's delegation will be headed by Russian Foreign Ministry non-proliferation and weapons control head Mikhail Ulyanov. He is expected to pose similar questions to the U.S. regarding its arms policies during the summit.

Specifically, the U.S.' planned deployment of MK-41 missile launchers in Romania and Poland, which the Russian Foreign Ministry called a "gross violation" of the 1987 treaty.

Meanwhile, there is speculation that Russia is planning to scrap the INF.

Last month, Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov assured his country's commitment to the accord but President Vladimir Putin has already questioned the INF's value in relation to Russia's interests.

Harvard's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs executive director Gary Samore said Russia's military has expressed desire to withdraw from the accord primarily to allow it to launch missiles banned under the agreement.

"And of course, those missiles would be specifically directed against targets in Europe, in NATO," he added.

TagsINF, Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces treaty, Russia, US, NATO, Ukraine crisis, Rose Gottemoeller, Mikhail Ulyanov, Arms control