Kremlin Says Withdrawal of Key Players 'Complicates' Paris Climate Deal

The withdrawal of key players from the Paris climate deal would "complicate" implementation of the pact, the Kremlin said Thursday, as U.S. leader Donald Trump weighed up pulling out. 

"For sure the effectiveness of the implementation of this convention without key players will be complicated, but there are no alternatives to it at the moment," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, Russian new agencies reported. 

Trump is set Thursday to announce whether or not he will abandon the global climate agreement, as reports swirled about his intentions.

The Kremlin spokesman said Moscow had not formed a definitive position on the issue as Trump has not announced his decision yet.

After a day of rumors about the Republican leader's plans, with some aides reportedly saying a withdrawal was likely and others saying no decision was made, Trump said he was ready to make his stance known.

"I will be announcing my decision on Paris Accord, Thursday at 3:00 P.M. The White House Rose Garden. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" the U.S. leader said in a tweet late Wednesday, punctuating the post with his campaign slogan.

A U.S. withdrawal would come fewer than 18 months after the historic 196-nation pact was signed in the French capital, the fruit of a hard-fought agreement between Beijing and Washington under Barack Obama's leadership.

The European Union and China indicated they would press ahead with the deal, regardless of U.S. participation.