NATO allies on Friday denounced Russia’s non-compliance with the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), calling on Moscow to fulfill its obligations under the pact, which the United States and Russia extended in 2021 for a five-year term.
In a joint communiqué, the 30 members of the Atlantic Alliance note that effective arms control is «an essential contribution» to their security objectives and insist that the treaty remains in the national security interests of the international community.
However, the allies lament, «Russia’s non-compliance undermines the viability of New START.» «We call on Russia to fulfill its treaty obligations by facilitating inspections on Russian territory and re-engaging with the treaty’s implementing body,» they stress.
According to the military organization, Russia is violating the agreement by blocking the treaty’s monitoring commission and by its refusal to allow U.S. inspections on Russian territory. In this way, they prevent Washington from exercising its rights under the pact and undermine the ability of the United States to verify compliance with the limits set by New START, the allies said.
The statement follows allegations by the U.S. State Department, which this week accused Russia of non-compliance with New START by refusing to allow inspectors on its territory and obstructing Washington’s efforts to address the issue.
In 2020, inspections had to be halted due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, when conditions became ripe to resume such activity, Russia has refused since August last year to resume such visits, in part, due to tensions between the two powers over 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.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
