(PLO) – Russia’s parliament has passed a bill to suspend the New START Treaty, but Moscow still insists it will abide by the agreed limits on nuclear.
News agency TASS Reportedly, the Council of the Russian Federation (the Senate) on February 22 unanimously approved a bill to suspend the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START).
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Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the Federal Assembly on February 21. Photo: SPUTNIK |
The bill was submitted by Russian President Vladimir Putin to the State Duma (Lower House) and approved by it on the same day. The move comes following Putin announced he would suspend participation in the New START Treaty in his address to the Federal Assembly on February 21, but emphasized not to completely stop participating in the agreement.
Thus, the effect of the New START Treaty is temporarily suspended and the decision to restore the Treaty will be made by the President of Russia. The bill will take effect immediately upon its official publication.
Despite the decision to suspend participation in the Treaty, senior Russian officials confirmed that Moscow will still abide by the agreed limits on nuclear missiles and continue to notify the US side of changes in deployment. nuclear of this country, according to news agency Archyde.com.
Russian Major General Yevgeny Ilyin told the State Duma that Moscow will continue to comply with the agreed restrictions on delivery systems capable of carrying nuclear, i.e. missiles and strategic bombers, the airline said. RIA news.
Ilyin also confirmed that Russia will continue to inform the US regarding the deployment of nuclear weapons to “prevent false signals, which are important for maintaining strategic stability”.
Meanwhile, the news agency Interfax “I do not believe that the decision to suspend the New START Treaty will bring us closer to war,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.
“We will, of course, closely monitor the next actions of the United States and its allies, including considering further countermeasures, if necessary,” Ryabkov said.
On February 22, Mikhail Ulyanov – Russia’s Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna (Austria) also said that Moscow may reconsider its decision to suspend the New START Treaty if the US takes actions to reduce Climb the ladder.
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US President Joe Biden called Russia’s decision to suspend the New START Treaty a “huge mistake.” Photo: Evan Vucci/AP |
America’s Reaction
Commenting on Russia’s decision to suspend the New START Treaty, US President Joe Biden on February 22 called it “a huge and irresponsible mistake”, but said he did not consider Moscow’s decision. is a sign that President Putin is considering using nuclear weapons.
Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Russia’s decision “deeply regrettable and irresponsible”. Meanwhile, Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Jens Stoltenberg said Moscow’s move made the world more dangerous and called on Putin to reconsider.
New START is currently the sole remaining pillar of bilateral nuclear control between Moscow and Washington. New START has been in effect since 2011 and will be extended for another 5 years in 2021.
New START forces both countries to reduce the number of nuclear warheads to a maximum of 1,550 each and limits the number of systems such as intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched missiles, and bombers. down to 800 each. The treaty also allows each side to check the number of nuclear weapons on the territory of the other.
Russia urges the US to use the remaining time to save New START
VINH KHANG
