the Department of Defense stated in its 2016 Plan for Military Response Options to Russian Federation Violations of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty that Russia’s return to compliance with its obligations under the INF Treaty remains the preferable outcome. (7) United States allies in Europe do not currently have sufficient defensive articles and material to properly defend against the Russian Federation’s new GLCM. (b) Statement of policy It is the policy of the United States to— (1) protect the United States interests and assets abroad and our allies from the burgeoning threat stemming from Russia’s development of a new GLCM that violates the INF Treaty