START treaty

The Pentagon announced that the US intends to develop conventional ground-based missiles previously banned under the INF arms control treaty, on the very day it expired following Washington’s unilateral exit.

Having dismantled two of the three pillars of nuclear non-proliferation, the US now apparently wants to let the last one crumble as well. National Security Advisor John Bolton has said the New START is unlikely to be extended.

Elimination of the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons, remains one of the key priorities of the international community.

Washington has announced plans to reduce the number of strategic nuclear bombers, submarine launchers and deployed ballistic missiles to meet the limits set on nuclear arsenals by the New START treaty signed with Russia 4 years ago.

The US has deployed a ballistic missile defense destroyer to Spain to boost NATO’s anti-missile shield in Europe. The move, allegedly aimed at curbing the Iranian threat, has sparked talks about Russia possibly scrapping the START nuclear treaty.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his US counterpart Barack Obama have praised Kofi Annan’s peace mission during a Nuclear Summit in Seoul. This is the first time the two countries have come to an agreement concerning the Syrian conflict.