U.S. Extends Sole Remaining Nuclear Arms Treaty With Russia
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. would use the five years of the New START treaty’s renewal to pursue limits on all of Russia’s nuclear weapons.
ELLEN KNICKMEYER
The United States joined Russia on Wednesday in extending the two countries’ last remaining treaty limiting their stockpiles of nuclear weapons, two days before the pact was set to expire.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement the U.S. would use the five years of the New START treaty’s renewal to pursue limits on all of Russia’s nuclear weapons. That’s after the Trump administration pulled out of two other such deals, as part of a broad withdrawal from international accords.
Russia hints it may return to Open Skies Treaty if US does February 2 In this file photo taken June 10, 2004, a Russian Federation Tupolev Tu-154 Open Skies Treaty reconnaissance aircraft sits on the runway at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska, prior to its departure for two overflights of central Alaska. (Mark Farmer/AP) MOSCOW Russia may consider returning to an international pact allowing surveillance flights over military facilities if the United States reverses its exit, the top Russian diplomat said Tuesday. Moscow announced last month that it would leave the Open Skies Treaty following the U.S. departure from the pact last year, adding that Russian proposals to keep the treaty alive after the U.S. withdrawal have been given the cold shoulder by Washington’s allies.
Biden Seeks 5-Year Extension of Nuke Treaty With Russia: Pentagon
President Joe Biden made a decision to propose to Russia a five-year extension of the New START treaty that limits the number of U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear weapons, John Kirby, chief Pentagon spokesman said in a statement on Thursday.
The treaty, which restricts the United States and Russia to deploying no more than 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads each, is due to expire on Feb. 5.
“We cannot afford to lose New START’s intrusive inspection and notification tools,” the statement said.
“Extending the treaty’s limitations on stockpiles of strategic nuclear weapons until 2026 allows time and space for our two nations to explore new verifiable arms control arrangements that could further reduce risks to Americans,” Kirby said in the statement.
politico | Joe Biden to seek full 5-year extension of New START nuclear pact with Russia
The announcement on the first full day of Biden’s presidency is intended to prevent a nuclear arms race
The treaty, which has limited the US and Russia to 1,550 nuclear warheads each, expires on February 5