US diplomacy criticized Moscow for suspending inspections under the START treaty and annulling talks under the agreement, the only disarmament agreement binding the two countries.
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The United States accused Russia of not respecting the so-called New Start treaty, the latest nuclear disarmament agreement that unites the two countries.
american diplomacy rebuked Moscow for suspending inspections and canceling planned talks by virtue of this agreement, without accusing, however, the rival country of having expanded its nuclear arsenal beyond the stipulated limits.
The Republicans, with a majority in the House of Representatives, asked the head of US diplomacy, Antony Blinken, to point out by Tuesday a possible violation of this treaty by Russia.
“Russia does not respect its obligation under the New Start treaty to facilitate inspections on its territory,” a State Department spokesperson said. He also assured that the country “has a path outlined to return to full compliance.”
Moscow announced in 2022 the postponement of a meeting scheduled for late November between the Russians and the United States on inspections under the treaty, accusing Washington of “hostility” and “toxicity”.
Relations between the two nuclear powers are at their lowest level since the start of the Ukrainian warin February 2022. The last meeting of this advisory committee dates back to October 2021.
In a letter published last week, the heads of several US congressional committees said Russia’s actions and statements “put at least Serious concerns about your New Start compliance“.
This treaty is the last bilateral agreement on this matter that united the two powers. Shortly after his election in January 2021, US President Joe Biden extended it for five years, until 2026.
Signed in 2010, it limits the two countries’ arsenals to a maximum of 1,550 warheads held by each party, a reduction of around 30% from the previous limit set in 2002. Heavy bombers and shuttles.
At the same time, Russian Deputy Minister of Diplomacy Sergei Ribkov recently pointed out that in the current situation there are no conditions for a meeting of the bilateral commission on the New Start disarmament treaty. The Russian official blamed the situation on the rhetoric and actions of the United States, Ukraine’s biggest arms supplier, which he also accused of incessantly provoking Moscow.
Washington suspended arms control dialogue with Moscow after the start of Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine in February 2022.
In December, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that the US freeze in the strategic stability dialogue multiply the risks. At the same time, he recalled that the latest tangible result of the joint effort of Russia and the United States was the agreement to extend the START strategic arms reduction treaty for five years until February 5, 2026.
The head of Moscow diplomacy also stressed that the policy of the United States and NATO is aimed in practice at an armed conflict with Russia, which represents “a serious threat” with “catastrophic consequences.”
Source: Observadora
