Putin signs law extending new START nuclear weapons treaty between US and Russia

Putin signs law extending new START nuclear weapons treaty between US and Russia

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The nuclear weapons control agreement was extended for five years until February 5, 2026, the Kremlin said. It is the last major pact of its kind between Russia and the U.S. after the U.S. withdrew a separate nuclear weapons control agreement with Russia, the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, under the Trump administration in 2019.

Putin and the President of the United States, Joe Biden, spoke by telephone on Tuesday expressing “satisfaction” with the exchange of diplomatic notes between the two countries about the extension of the treaty. The Russian Parliament voted to ratify the five-year extension on Wednesday.

The treaty limits the number of strategic offensive weapons that both countries can have.

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The treaty limits each side to no more than 700 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) ​​and heavy bombers; no more than 1,550 warheads on deployed ICBMs, deployed SLBMs and heavy bombers for nuclear weapons; and a total of 800 deployed and non-deployed ICBM launchers, SLBM launchers and heavy bombers.

“The renewal of the Treaty serves the national interests of the Russian Federation, makes it possible to maintain the transparency and predictability of strategic relations between Russia and the United States and to support global strategic stability; it will have a beneficial effect on the international situation, and contribute to the process of nuclear disarmament, “the Kremlin said in a statement published late on Friday.

Last week, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters “that the New START Treaty is in the interest of the national security of the United States, and that extension makes even more sense when the relationship with Russia is adversary, as it is right now. “

She added that it was “the only remaining treaty that restricts Russian nuclear forces and is an anchor for strategic stability between our two countries”.

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