Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Monday that Russia is prepared to adhere to the central quantitative limits of the New START Treaty with the United States for one year beyond its expiration in February 2026. This declaration was made during a meeting with the Russian Security Council in Moscow, where Putin highlighted the impending expiration of the last international agreement directly limiting nuclear missile capabilities.
According to Anadolu Agency, Putin emphasized that a complete abandonment of the New START Treaty, signed in April 2010, would be misguided and could negatively impact the objectives of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. He argued for maintaining the status quo established by the 2010 agreement to prevent further strategic arms races and ensure predictability and restraint during this turbulent period.
Putin stated that Russia is willing to continue adhering to the treaty's central quantitative limitations for one additional year after its expiration on February 5, 2026. He mentioned that a decision regarding any further continuation of these restrictions would depend on an analysis of the prevailing situation. However, he underscored that this commitment is contingent upon similar measures by the United States, urging them not to undermine the balance of deterrence potentials.
In his remarks, Putin expressed optimism that Russia's initiative could foster an environment conducive to meaningful strategic dialogue with the United States. He also noted that the conditions for the treaty's resumption take into account the broader efforts to normalize bilateral relations and address fundamental security contradictions.
Putin further criticized the West for taking steps he described as "destructive," which he claimed have eroded the foundations of constructive relations and cooperation between nuclear-armed states. He assured that Russia is capable of responding to any threats, both existing and emerging, not only through rhetoric but also with military-technical measures.
The New START Treaty, effective since February 2011, limits the number of strategic nuclear warheads deployed by the United States and Russia to a maximum of 1,550 each. It also caps the number of launchers and nuclear-capable heavy bombers at 800, establishing a regime of mutual inspections and notifications. The treaty was extended to February 2026 shortly after US President Joe Biden took office in January 2021. However, in February 2023, Putin announced that Moscow would suspend its participation in the treaty.
As of now, US authorities have not provided any immediate response to Putin's statements.