Russia announced on Wednesday that it is no longer bound by limits on the number of nuclear warheads, whereas its latest nuclear deal with the United States expires on Thursday, February 5. TASR writes about it according to an AFP report.
With the end of the New START treaty, both Moscow and Washington will be formally freed from a number of restrictions on their nuclear arsenals. “We assume that the parties to the New START Treaty are no longer bound by any commitments or symmetrical declarations in the context of this treaty including its basic provisions, and in principle they have freedom to proceed further,” the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
The TASS agency, citing the Department of Diplomacy, reported that Moscow will follow the steps of the United States after the expiration of the treaty. Russia will, according to the ministry “to develop its strategic offensive weapons policy based on a thorough analysis of US military policy and the overall situation in the strategic sphere”.
The Russian Federation continues to “act responsibly and prudently,” according to the statement.added the department, which also warned that is ready to take “decisive” countermeasures if Russian national security is threatened.
However, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Moscow remains open to finding political and diplomatic ways to stabilize the situation on the basis “equal and mutually beneficial solutions through dialogue” if suitable conditions for such cooperation are created. The New START agreement signed in 2010 by the then presidents of the USA and Russia, valid for ten years from ratification. The contract entered into force on February 5, 2011.
Former US President Joe Biden with Russia agreed to extend New START for five years after defeating incumbent President Donald Trump in the 2020 electionbut tensions between the two countries later escalated as a result of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The head of the Kremlin Vladimir Putin in 2023 suspended Russia’s participation in this agreement. At the same time he declared that they will continue to observe limits on warheads, missiles and heavy bombers.
The Russian president already offered in September of last year annual contract extension. Although Trump said at the time that “that sounds like a good idea”, the Kremlin claims that it has not yet received a clear answer. “This attitude seems wrong and regrettable,” it is stated in the latest opinion of the Russian Department of Diplomacy.
At the same time, American Minister of Foreign Affairs Marco Rubio said just a few hours before the expiration of the mentioned contract that any nuclear deal with Russia must include China. “The president has made it clear in the past that nothing can be done to achieve true arms control in the 21st century that does not include China, given its vast and rapidly growing stockpile,Rubio told reporters on Wednesday.
The last functional safeguard against the uncontrolled growth of the US and Russian nuclear arsenals reduced their number on the principle of nuclear parity by about one-third to 1,550 nuclear warheads. At the same time, it reduced the number of nuclear carriers of intercontinental missiles on land to 700missiles launched from submarines and strategic bombers.
