After his accusation that the West was actively involved in attempts to strike Russia’s vital air bases, President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia was suspending its participation in the New START Deal nuclear weapons reduction treaty with the United States.
He stated, “I am compelled to declare today that Russia is suspending its participation in the strategic offensive armaments accord.
THE NEW START TREATY: WHAT IS IT?
The number of strategic nuclear weapons that the United States and Russia can deploy is capped by the New START treaty, which was signed in 2010 by then-U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev.
As U.S. President Joseph Biden assumed office, it entered into force in 2011 and was extended for a further five years in 2021. This permits both American and Russian inspectors to make sure that both sides are abiding by the pact.
According to the pact, Moscow and Washington are bound to deploy a maximum of 700 long-range missiles and bombers and 1,550 strategic nuclear weapons.
To make sure the other has not violated the treaty’s restrictions, each side may carry out up to 18 inspections of strategic nuclear weapons facilities annually.
However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, inspections mandated by the agreement were suspended until March 2020.
Moscow postponed talks between Moscow and Washington on starting inspections again that were scheduled to take place in Egypt in November, and neither party has chosen a new date.
HAS RUSSIA EVER THREATENED TO LEAVE?
In spite of what it dubbed the United States’ harmful attitude to arms control, Russia stated earlier this month that it wished to keep the deal in place.
Almost 90% of the world’s nuclear warheads are owned by Russia and the United States collectively, and both nations have emphasised that war between nuclear powers must be avoided at all costs.
But, the invasion of Ukraine by Russia has brought the two nations closer than at any other point in the previous 60 years to a direct conflict.
Russia has been charged with breaking the treaty by refusing to allow inspections on its soil, and Moscow has issued a warning that the West’s desire to “destroy” Russia could prevent the deal from being renewed when it expires in 2026.
WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?
The threat of a nuclear war is real, should not be understated, and should be avoided at all costs, according to Russian statements from the previous year.
Although years of tension during the Cold War caused a few close calls, both the U.S. and Russia now have safeguards to ensure that their nuclear missiles cannot be accidentally used.
Yet, since the invasion of Ukraine, worries about a nuclear exchange have grown. Putin has stated that he is prepared to take whatever means necessary to protect Russia’s “territorial integrity” and has reminded the world of the scale and might of Moscow’s weapons.
