According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Russian Federation is temporarily withdrawing its nuclear facilities from inspections by American experts under the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START).
Diplomats say the decision was made because of, among other things, anti-Russian sanctions. They allegedly deprive Russia of the right to exercise their control over the United States.
As an example, the statement cites the situation regarding the suspension of air traffic between Russia and America. Because of the sanctions, the airspace of the United States and allied states was closed to Russian aircraft that could fly Russian investigators to the United States. At the same time, the State Department states that there is no such obstacle for the Americans.
Another argument of the Russian side is the increase in COVID-19 cases in the USA. The increase in infections “may endanger the health of Russian experts”.
“The Russian Federation is now compelled to resort to this measure as a result of Washington’s stubborn desire to tacitly resume its inspection activities in circumstances that ignore current realities, create unilateral advantages for the United States, and de facto deprive Moscow. The right to inspect on American soil,” he says in the message.
The decision was made in accordance with the fifth paragraph of the first part of the fifth part of the START Treaty protocol.
At the same time, Moscow pointed out to Washington that the sanctions violated parity in inspections under START, but there was no response from the American side.
“We believe that, in the current circumstances, parties should deliberately abandon unproductive attempts to artificially accelerate the resumption of START audit activities and focus on a thorough examination of all existing problems in this area,” the State Department said. Said.
History of START-3
Russia and the United States signed the START-3 agreement in 2010, the document was subsequently signed by the heads of two states – Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama. The agreement was initially in effect for ten years and enabled the reduction of nuclear warheads deployed by the parties to 1,500 units.
Intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and strategic missile-carrying bombers were supposed to be dropped at 700 on either side. His contract expired on February 5, 2021.
However, Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, considered START-3 unprofitable for Washington and opposed the extension of the deal. He urged China to join the deal. However, under incumbent President Joe Biden, START III has been extended until February 5, 2026.
Discussing a new deal
On August 1, 2022, Biden said the United States was ready to discuss a new offensive weapons control system with Russia. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said in response that Moscow has repeatedly advocated negotiations with the United States on the extension of the START agreement.
START-3 ends in 2026. The United States and the Russian Federation began to agree on the parameters of a new agreement, but interrupted the dialogue after the start of military special operations in Ukraine.
The US State Department said it was ready to consider a new round of strategic dialogue with Russia, but wanted to see “proof of its bona fide approach”.
The Russian delegation said at the NPT Review Conference that Russia wanted to see if the United States was truly ready to negotiate a deal that should replace START-3.
On August 5, US Deputy Secretary of Defense Colin Cole said that Washington considers it important to start a dialogue with Moscow to extend the START Treaty through 2026.
“The strategic offensive arms agreement expires in 2026. As we approach 2026, it will be important for us and Russia to start a detailed dialogue on how to expand it, expand it, or explore the possibility of concluding other arms control agreements that will involve actions not foreseen in the current agreement.
Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, who took part as president in signing the agreement in 2010, described the timing of the negotiations on the reduction of offensive weapons as “most inconvenient”.
“Biden spat reluctantly, they say, even during the Cold War, the USSR and the US discussed security issues and found compromises. And a new agreement on the limitation of nuclear potentials is needed. All this, of course, is good. But I will repeat. Now the situation is much worse than in the Cold War. Much worse! And we are not to blame for that. Well, and most importantly … Do we need this at all? The world has changed – Wrote the Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation on the Telegram channel.
Source: Gazeta
