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Russia is violating a Major Nuclear Weapons Control Agreements with the United States and continues to refuse to allow inspections of nuclear facilities. US State Department spokesperson said on Tuesday
“Russia has not fulfilled its obligations under the New START treaty to facilitate inspection activities on its territory. Russia’s refusal to facilitate inspection activities prevents the United States from Exercise important rights under the treaty and threaten the ability to control nuclear weapons between the United States and Russia,” the spokesman said in a statement.
“Russia has also failed to meet the obligations of the new START treaty to convene a bilateral advisory commission within the timeframe set forth in the treaty,” the spokesman added.
US announcement It is likely to add tension to relations between the two countries in the doldrums. Because Moscow is still at war with Ukraine. The nuclear sword of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s wartime might has shocked the United States and its allies.
in december Putin warned that “Increasing” Threats of nuclear war And this month, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of the Russian Security Council, Threatening that Russia might lose the war “Provoking the outbreak of nuclear war”
Medvedev wrote in a Telegram post: “Nuclear powers are not lost in great conflicts that depend on their fates,” he said. “This should be clear to everyone. Even with Western politicians, there is at least some trace of intelligence.”
and although a US intelligence assessment In November it proposed that Russian military officials discuss under what circumstances Russia would use tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine. The United States has seen no evidence that Putin has decided to take such a drastic step. The official told CNN.
Under the New START treaty, it is the only remaining treaty that governs two of the world’s largest nuclear arsenals. Washington and Moscow are allowed to conduct inspections of each other’s weapons storage facilities. But due to the pandemic of COVID-19 The review has therefore been suspended since 2020.
A meeting of the bilateral advisory commission on the treaty is scheduled to meet in Egypt at the end of November. But it was abruptly canceled. The United States blamed Russia for the postponement. A foreign ministry spokesman said. The decision was a “unilateral” decision by Russia.
Intercontinental Range Nuclear Weapons Limitation Treaty that the entire United States and Russia can have The last extension was in early 2021 for five years, meaning the two sides will soon have to start negotiating another arms control deal.
John Erath, senior policy director at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, emphasized to CNN Tuesday that Russia’s inaction. “It doesn’t mean they are secretly building massive amounts of nuclear weapons.”
“That’s not the part where they were found to be non-compliance,” he said. “It’s the inspection requirement.”
But he added that Russia tends to use its non-compliance as an advantage to try to end the war on their terms.
“They have fixed New START into the leverage they have,” Erath said. “They know we want to see it continue. And we’d love to see it implemented. Because everyone feels better when there is an arms control agreement that works.”
He went on to say that Russia is “using their inaction as a way to add a little more power so that we can say, ‘Oh, this war is threatening arms control. That’s important for us. Hey Ukrainian friends, do you think you did enough? And stop.’”
Lawmakers responded by warning that a future arms control agreement with Russia could be in jeopardy if the situation is not salvageable.
“We have long supported strategic arms control with Russia, voting for New START in 2010 and supporting extending the term of the Trump-Biden administration. but for clarity Fulfilling the obligations of the New START treaty will be critical to Senate deliberations on a future Strategic Arms Control Treaty with Moscow.” Democratic Senators Bob Menendez, Jack Reid, Mark Warner wrote in a joint statement.
the foreign ministry said Russia could return to full compliance if they “allow inspections in their territory. as it has done for many years under the New Start Treaty” and also defines the Commission’s sessions.
“Russia has a clear path to return to full regulatory compliance. What Russia has to do is allow inspection activities on its territory. The same has been done for many years under the New Star Treaty. and meet at a meeting of the bilateral advisory commission,” the spokesman said. “Nothing prevents Russian investigators from traveling to the United States and conducting inspections.”
according to Center for Arms Control and Non-ProliferationRussia has about 5,977 nuclear warheads, of which 1,588 are deployed. The United States has 5,550 nuclear warheads, according to the center. This includes 3,800 active warheads.
Administrative officials said their willingness to discuss the arms control deal. Even if Russia is at war in Ukraine. demonstrates the commitment of the United States to negotiate and reduce the risk of a nuclear disaster.
But Russia has indicated in recent days that its support for the United States Against Ukraine, it is preventing the treaty from being renewed.
On Monday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryakov said a bilateral nuclear arms control treaty with the United States could expire in three years without a replacement.
When asked if Moscow would see no nuclear arms control agreement between the two countries, When the extension of the 2011 New Star Treaty ends after 2026, Jabkov told RIA news agency. Russia’s Novosti on Monday that “This is a very possible situation.”
