Russian President Vladimir Putin and American counterpart Donald Trump at the Alaska summit. Photo: Bob Strong / Upi / Profimedia
“Russia is ready to continue to respect the central numerical limits provided by the new Start Agreement for one year after February 5, 2026,” Russian president, quoted by Reuters, said on Monday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that he is prepared to extend the last weapons control between Washington and Moscow, which limits the number of nuclear weapons that each party holds, if US President Donald Trump will do the same.
The new strategic weapons reduction treaty, or the new start, which limits the number of strategic nuclear ogives that the United States and Russia can carry out, as well as the development and terrestrial and submarine bombers, is to expire on February 5, 2026.
About four months before the expiration, Russia and the United States did not start negotiations on the renewal or revision of the treaty, although Trump has expressed a desire to conclude a new nuclear weapon control agreement-to which China participates.
“Only if the United States will act similarly”
Putin said in a meeting of the Russian Security Council that he is prepared to extend the treaty with one year, in the interest of global non -rolifery and to stimulate the dialogue with Washington on the successor of the treaty, if Trump is ready to do the same.
“Russia is prepared to continue to respect the central numerical limits provided in the Treaty of the new start for one year after February 5, 2026,” said Russian president.
“Subsequently, based on an analysis of the situation, we will make a decision on maintaining these self -imposed voluntary restrictions,” he said.
“We believe that this measure will be viable only if the United States will act similarly and do not take measures that undermine or violate the existing balance of discouragement capacities,” Putin added.
What the new Start Agreement provides for
The new Start Agreement, signed by Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitri Medvedev, limits each country to a maximum of 1,550 nuclear ogives and 700 missiles and bombers.
The imminent expiration of it and the lack of dialogue regarding the conclusion of a successor agreement worried the supporters of the armament control.
The agreement provides for extensive on -site inspections to verify its compliance, but they are inactive from 2020.
In February 2023, Putin suspended Moscow's participation in the treaty, saying that Russia cannot allow American inspections of its nuclear sites at a time when Washington and its NATO allies said that their goal is to defeat Moscow in Ukraine.
Moscow, however, stressed that he does not completely withdraw from the agreement and will continue to respect the limits on the nuclear weapons set by the treaty.
