START treaty

The US could carry out a live nuclear test within “months” should the president request it, a senior Pentagon official said, suggesting “geopolitical issues” – presumably referring to Moscow and Beijing – could prompt the order.

As the US threatens to withdraw from the New START treaty over Chinese non-participation, domestic pressure from inside China builds for a larger strategic nuclear arsenal. Could this be a good thing?

The US has declined an invitation to hold a formal meeting to discuss the legal details of extending the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which is due to expire in a year, a senior Russian diplomat has said.

Moscow has made it clear that it is ready to extend the landmark 2010 treaty aimed at reducing US and Russian nuclear arsenals at any time, leaving Washington with no excuse to obstruct its renewal, Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that a global arms race is inevitable if the US and Russia do not agree to extend the ten-year Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), which is due to expire in early 2021.

Moscow is ready to extend the last major nuclear arms control treaty, without conditions or discussions, President Vladimir Putin said as he reiterated Russia’s position on the New START treaty which expires in 2021.