The two sides confirmed that Russia had delivered an official document to the United States declaring its cessation of participation in the nuclear disarmament treaty.
According to the US CNN and Russia’s TASS news agency, the US State Department received an official document from Russia on the 1st (local time) to suspend participation in the “New Strategic Arms Reduction Agreement” (New START). He said there was nothing in particular other than what Russia had previously revealed.
State Department spokesman Ned Price criticized, “(Russia’s decision to unilaterally suspend the treaty) is irresponsible and regrettable.”
“Russia is no better off in a world where the two nuclear powers no longer participate in bilateral arms control,” Price said. endangers”.
He also warned, “The United States is still abiding by the treaty, including the limit on the number of nuclear weapons, but it may depend on how Russia does it. If Russia changes its nuclear posture or approach, we will make appropriate adjustments.”
Prior to this, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov announced the previous day that he had delivered an official document to the US through the embassy stating that he would stop participating.
Deputy Minister Ryabkov reaffirmed, however, that the treaty’s core provisions would continue to be observed. Regarding the war in Ukraine, he also said that if the US gives up its hostile stance against Russia, it can participate again.
“We are ready to discuss any concerns with the United States,” he said, “but the decision to suspend New Start will not change until we show that we are ready to give up our hostile stance towards Russia.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on the 21st of last month that he would stop participating in New Start in his State of the Union Address to Parliament. It was his first State of the Union address after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine and a speech ahead of the first year of the war in Ukraine (February 24).
President Putin did not say ‘withdrawal’ but ‘participation’, but warned that if the United States resumes nuclear tests, Russia is also ready to resume nuclear weapons tests. In addition to the United States, he demanded that the nuclear disarmament of Britain and France, which are allies of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO · NATO) and nuclear powers, also be clarified.
Subsequently, the Russian State Duma (House of Representatives) and the Federal Council (Senate) passed the related bills in a snap the very next day. It is said that participation in New Start will be officially suspended and President Putin can decide whether to resume participation. President Putin officially signed the bill on the 28th.
New Start limits the number of deployable nuclear warheads and carriers to 1,550 and 700, respectively. There is also content that both sides can inspect each other’s weapons bases, which has been suspended since 2020 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Newstart was last extended to a five-year deadline in early 2021. In order to continue nuclear disarmament, negotiations must begin again.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.