Reuters, citing US officials, said the United States could offer to comply with START restrictions until 2026 if Russia adheres to them as well.
And the agency said today, Friday, that this potential proposal will be made by U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan during a speech at the Arms Control Association, while U.S. officials say Sullivan will “discuss the importance of maintaining the treaty” and make a proposal to comply with its restrictions until 2026.
The Treaty on the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms “New START” was signed on April 8, 2010 and provides for a reduction in the maximum limits for strategic offensive warheads for Russia and the United States by 30%, and the maximum limits for strategic launchers by 50% compared to the previous contracts.
On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Russia’s suspension of its participation in the treaty due to NATO actions against Russia and his desire to “inflict a strategic defeat on Russia”, while declaring his “desire to control Russian nuclear facilities.” Putin said about this that “Russia cannot ignore this.”
This was stated in the speech of the President of Russia before the Federal Assembly of Russia, where he continued: “They say that there is no connection between the problems of strategic offensive weapons and the conflict in Ukraine and other hostile actions against our country, but at the same time, no one hides what they want inflict a strategic defeat on Russia. This is the height of hypocrisy or cynicism… They want to inflict a strategic defeat on us and gain access to our nuclear facilities.”
Source: TASS
