U.S. officials on Tuesday accused Russia of breaching the terms of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) by refusing to allow inspectors on its territory and hindering Washington’s efforts to address the issue.
According to the U.S. State Department, Russia’s stance not only prevents Washington from «exercising important rights under the treaty,» but also «threatens the viability of nuclear arms control» between the two nations.
Washington and Moscow extended the START Treaty in 2021 for a five-year term, giving both nations sufficient leeway to engage in new strategic security talks, according to Bloomberg.
In 2020 the inspections had to be halted due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, when the conditions to resume such activity were restored, Russia has refused since August last year to resume such visits, partly due to the tensions between both powers due to the war in Ukraine.
This treaty between the United States and Russia seeks to limit the deployment of intercontinental-range nuclear weapons by both sides, allowing frequent checks of each country’s programs by the other. The agreement allows Washington and Moscow to deploy up to 700 intercontinental ballistic missiles and 1,550 nuclear warheads on those missiles.
If the START Treaty is terminated, or expires without renewal, the nuclear arsenals of the world’s two largest nuclear powers would be unconstrained for the first time since the Cold War 1970s, as neither side would be able to control the other’s arsenals.
The State Department’s warning comes at a time when relations between the White House and the Kremlin are going through their lowest hours in years due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the shipment of U.S. weaponry to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
