In a move significant for global arms control efforts, Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that Russia will extend its adherence to the New START nuclear weapons treaty with the United States for an additional year after its official expiration. This decision seeks to maintain the framework of the last major bilateral arms control agreement between the two global nuclear powers.
Speaking at a televised meeting of the Russian Security Council, Putin stated that Russia is willing to uphold the central quantitative limits of the New START treaty for another year. This strategic decision is intended to prevent a renewed strategic arms race and maintain an “acceptable level of predictability and restraint.” Putin also expressed the hope that the United States would reciprocate with a similar commitment.
The New START treaty, which originally came into force in 2011, places limits on the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems that both Russia and the United States can possess. The treaty has been a crucial mechanism for facilitating transparency and stability between the two countries over the past decade.
This extension proposal reflects the ongoing importance of arms control in global security, underscoring the need for mutual trust and cooperation between the world’s leading nuclear states. The extension period could provide both nations with an opportunity to negotiate further measures for disarmament and non-proliferation, ensuring continued global security.