- Russia is willing to respect the New Start contract even after validity.
- Putin conditioned the extension of the agreement by the same step by the US.
- The document limits the number of strategic nuclear heads to 1,550 pieces.
- The contract was signed in 2010.
Russian president Vladimir Putin On Monday, he said that Moscow was ready to comply with the restrictions arising from the NEART nuclear arms control contract even a year after its expiry, if the United States do the same. According to AP, AFP and Reuters reports, TASR reports this.
The Russian President stated at the Russian Security Council that it is ready to extend the new Start contract by one year in the interest of the global non -spread of nuclear weapons and help to start a dialogue with the United States about the following document. However, he made it conditional that US President Donald Trump would do the same.
“Russia is ready to continue to comply with the central numeric limits under the New Start Agreement one more year after (expiry of validity) on February 5, 2026. declared Putin.
“We believe that this measure will only be feasible if the United States shall act in a similar way and do not take steps to undermine or disturb the existing balance of deterrent abilities,” added.
The New Start Agreement is the last valid arms control agreement between the largest nuclear powers – Russia and the US. The contract was signed in 2010 in Prague by former Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev and It entered into force in February 2011. It limits the number of nuclear heads that each party can deploy. Without extension, it will expire on 5 February 2026.
Document It limits the number of strategic nuclear heads on both sides to 1,550 pieces, which is a reduction of almost 30 percent compared to the previous limit of 2002. In 2023, Putin suspended Russia’s participation in the agreement, accusing the US of supporting Ukraine. At the same time, however, he promised that Russia would continue to observe limitations on combat heads, missiles and heavy bombers.
More than four months before its expiration Russia and the United States still did not start negotiating to renew or rewrite another contract, despite the fact that Trump has spoken about the new agreement several times. He repeatedly expressed the goal to include China in the negotiations.
