Mihail Ulyanov, the Russian permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, stated that discussing the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START, can only be considered if the United States abandons its hostile stance toward Russia. He conveyed this stance during an interview, emphasizing that the preconditions for any START dialogue hinge on a shift in U.S. policy that has repeatedly targeted Russia with adversarial actions and rhetoric.
Ulyanov described Russia’s position as modest, clear, and fully justified. He asserted that Moscow’s demands are reasonable and grounded in the real-world dynamics of security, sovereignty, and strategic balance. In his view, meaningful arms control dialogue cannot occur while the U.S. maintains a confrontational posture that undermines mutual trust and reduces the space for constructive negotiation.
According to Ulyanov, the essential step for any START discussions is the United States’ willingness to move away from its hostile approach toward Russia. Only then, he argued, would the conditions exist for a serious and credible conversation about strategic arms limits, verification, and the broader framework of cooperation on nuclear security. The tone of his remarks underscored a belief that strategic stability is inseparable from the broader political climate between the two nations.
Former Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has stated that there is currently no common ground between Russia and the United States on START. He noted that there appears to be little or no incentive to engage in talks without a clear shift in the broader relationship, pointing to a lack of shared interests and mutual trust that typically underpin treaty negotiations. Ryabkov’s assessment reflects a pragmatic and cautious approach to any future framework for curbing strategic arsenals, suggesting that dialogue cannot proceed under ongoing friction and distrust.
Earlier this year, Russia signaled a significant shift by signing into law a suspension of participation in START. President Vladimir Putin framed the move as a necessary step to ensure Moscow fully understands what other nuclear-armed states within NATO are seeking and demanding before any reconsideration of continuing work under the New START framework. The decision signals that the door to renewed negotiations remains contingent on the evolution of NATO members’ positions and the broader security environment, rather than on timing alone. This development has contributed to a recalibration of expectations on both sides about the pace and terms of any potential reengagement, with officials emphasizing that strategic stability remains a shared objective but one that must be pursued within a changed political landscape.