START treaty

The US wants Russia and China to rein in their respective strategic nuclear arsenals while it modernizes its own nuclear defenses at the same time. When it comes to strategic nukes, the US can’t have its cake and eat it too.

The extension of the New START nuclear arms reduction agreement with the US will go into effect today, Moscow has announced, praising the deal as a step in the right direction for international stability. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill extending the New START nuclear arms reduction agreement, the Kremlin has announced. Should his US counterpart Joe Biden follow suit, the treaty will remain in force until 2026.

Biden’s plan to sign a five-year extension to New START, while unquestionably welcome, will have a limited effect on fostering better relations between the US and Russia, and hence on bringing stability to the world.

Following talks with Washington, Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent parliament a draft deal that would extend the New START arms reduction pact for five more years. The critical treaty is set to expire in just over a week.

US President Joe Biden will seek to prolong the New START treaty with Russia by five years, his press secretary has said, before one of the last major arms control deals between the nuclear superpowers expires early next month.