The Russian parliament has approved a bill implementing the decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin to suspend participation in the New Strategic Arms Reduction Agreement (New START).
The bill was passed by the Russian House of Representatives, the State Duma, and was also passed by the Federal Council, the Senate, on the 22nd.
In his annual State of the Union address the previous day (21st), President Putin announced a suspension of participation in the nuclear disarmament agreement with the United States, ‘New Start’.
See also: Biden “Russia and Ukraine will never win the war”…Putin declares suspension of ‘New Start’, “We must prepare for nuclear tests”
New Start is an agreement signed by the United States and Russia in 2010 and entered into force the following year.
With the official termination of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) between the two countries in 2019, New Start is the only remaining nuclear control treaty between the United States and Russia.
■ “You have the right to defend with nuclear weapons”
Regarding this measure, Dmitry Medvedev, vice chairman of the Russian National Security Council, said on social media on the 22nd that “it should have come out a long time ago” and said, “The United States and NATO (NATO · NATO) have effectively declared war on Russia.” It was added as a response dimension to .
The ‘declaration of war by the United States and NATO’ seems to refer to military, financial, and humanitarian aid to Ukraine fighting against Russia’s invasion.
“We have the right to defend ourselves with any weapon, including nuclear weapons,” Medvedev said.
Vice Chairman Medvedev is a former Russian president, and in 2010 he signed the official Newstart document with then-US President Barack Obama.
Then-U.S. President Barack Obama (left) and then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sign the New Strategic Arms Reduction Agreement (New START) in Prague, Czech Republic, in April 2010.
“If the United States wants to defeat Russia, it is clear to all powers that we are moving towards a conflict on a global scale,” Medvedev said of the current international situation surrounding the war in Ukraine.
Medvedev said that Russia’s withdrawal from Newstart would have “great repercussions in the United States and around the world” and insisted that future arms control agreements between Russia and the West must include nuclear weapons from Britain and France.
The Russian Foreign Ministry announced that it would continue to limit the number of nuclear warheads even if it stopped participating in Newstart.
He also explained that he is willing to resume participation in New Start if the US policy towards Russia changes.
■ Blincoln US Secretary of State “irresponsible” strong regret
US Secretary of State Tony Blincoln expressed strong regret the day before (21st) immediately after Russian President Putin declared a suspension of participation in New Start.
Minister Blincoln, who is visiting Greece, told reporters during his visit to Athens, Greece, “It is irresponsible and very regrettable that Russia announced the suspension of participation in New Start.”
“We will keep a close eye on what Russia is actually doing,” he said.
US Secretary of State Tony Blincoln (center) answers questions from reporters in Athens, Greece on the 21st.
“In any case, we will take an appropriate posture for the security of us and our allies,” he said.
Secretary Blincoln said, in particular, that the United States is ready to discuss strategic arms restrictions with Russia at any time, adding that it is important for the two countries to act responsibly in the field of nuclear disarmament.
This is VOA News Jongsu Oh.