MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin provided his US counterpart Donald Trump a nuclear arms management deal on Monday (Sep 22) that may lengthen the final treaty limiting each international locations’ nuclear weapons by one yr whereas Moscow and Washington talk about what comes subsequent.
Russia and the US have by far the largest nuclear arsenals on this planet. The final remaining treaty between them that limits the numbers of those weapons is because of expire on Feb 5 subsequent yr.
The New START treaty covers strategic nuclear weapons – these designed by both sides to hit the enemy’s centres of navy, financial and political energy – and caps the variety of deployed warheads at 1,550 on both sides. Each are prone to breach that restrict if the treaty isn’t prolonged or changed.
PUTIN UNDER PRESSURE TO END UKRAINE WAR
Putin, who mentioned his proposal was within the pursuits of world non-proliferation and will assist spur dialogue with Washington about arms management, has been beneath stress from Trump to agree to finish the war in Ukraine, one thing Moscow says is a part of a slew of safety points which have raised East-West tensions to their most harmful degree for the reason that Chilly Warfare.
The supply, made at a time when Ukraine is attempting to influence Trump to impose harsher sanctions on Russia, was made public by Putin at a gathering of his Safety Council.
“Russia is ready to proceed adhering to the central numerical limits beneath the New START Treaty for one yr after 5 Feb, 2026,” mentioned the Russian president.
“Subsequently, primarily based on an evaluation of the scenario, we’ll decide on whether or not to keep up these voluntary self-imposed restrictions.
“We consider that this measure will solely be viable if the US acts in an analogous method and doesn’t take steps that undermine or violate the present stability of deterrence capabilities.”
The proposal seems to be a unilateral change of coverage by Moscow which has till now insisted it will solely have interaction with Washington on such issues if general ties – hampered by stark variations over the warfare in Ukraine – improved.
There was no fast response from Washington.
