Russia-US extend their last nuclear arms treaty

THE United States and Russia said on Wednesday they had extended the New START arms control treaty for five years, preserving the last treaty limiting deployments of the world’s two largest strategic nuclear arsenals.

The pact, due to expire today, is extended to February 5, 2026.

“President Biden pledged to keep the American people safe from nuclear threats by restoring US leadership on arms control and nonproliferation,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

“The United States is committed to effective arms control that enhances stability, transparency and predictability while reducing the risks of costly, dangerous arms races.”

The treaty, signed in 2011, limits the US and Russia to deploying no more than 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads each and imposes restrictions on the land- and submarine-based missiles and bombers to deliver them.

The Russian Foreign Ministry welcomed the extension of New START and said it hoped Biden was turning the page on the “destructive US policy” of ending arms control measures.

“We expect that the (New START) understanding ... would allow (us) to leave behind the trend towards dismantling of arms control and nonproliferation mechanisms, so prevalent in recent years due to US destructive policies,” the ministry said, adding Russia is ready for dialogue on arms control.

“We call on the United States to show an equally responsible approach and respond constructively to our respective initiatives.”

Both lower and upper houses of the Russian parliament voted unanimously last month for the extension, and President Vladimir Putin signed the bill.

That was after US President Joe Biden and Putin talked and agreed on the extension, part of a quick round of diplomacy by the less than month-old US administration to keep the treaty going.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the extension.

“It’s a first step of reinvigorating ... the nuclear arms control regime,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.

NATO also welcomed the extension of New START, saying it would preserve international stability even as the US keeps negotiating with Russia.

“This the beginning, not the end, of an effort to further strengthen international arms control,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that the extension “limits strategic competition and increases strategic stability.”

(Agencies)