US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called it “deeply regrettable and irresponsible” Russia’s decision to suspend its participation in the “New Start” treaty, the last agreement between Moscow and Washington that limits the nuclear arsenals of the two countries, it is reported. for CNN. But what did the New Nuclear Deal, the last valid nuclear treaty between the US and Russia, envisage?

The Biden administration remains ready “to talk to Russia at any time, regardless of what else is going on in the world,” regarding the nuclear weapons treaty, the US secretary of state said, according to CNN.

• “We will be watching closely what Russia is actually doing,” Anthony Blinken added, saying the U.S. would make sure it “behaves appropriately for the security of our own country and our allies.”
• “I believe that it is important to continue to be responsible in this area.
• This is also what the rest of the world expects from us,” added Blinken.

Stoltenberg: Russia should return to the decision on the nuclear treaty with the United States

And NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reacted by saying that he regretted Putin’s announced decision to suspend Russia’s participation in the nuclear disarmament agreement of the New SNO Treaty.

• “More nuclear weapons and less control over them make the world more dangerous,” Jens Stoltenberg said, calling on Russia to reverse the decision.
• “This is one of the last major arms control agreements,” the NATO chief said, adding that it was “another example” of a move away from the rules-based international order.

How did Putin motivate the decision on Russia’s withdrawal from the New Treaty on nuclear disarmament with the United States

In a two-hour speech on Tuesday, almost a year after the invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia was suspending its participation in the New SNO treaty, the last existing agreement between Moscow and Washington that limits nuclear arsenals. two countries

• “(…) I am forced to announce today that Russia is suspending its participation in the Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty,” Putin said in his speech before the parliament, stressing that Russia is not withdrawing from the treaty, but suspending its participation.

The Kremlin leader said Rosatom, Russia’s nuclear energy company, should ensure the country’s readiness to test nuclear weapons if necessary:

• “Of course, we won’t be the first to do it. But if the United States tries, we will too.
• No one should have dangerous illusions that global strategic parity can be destroyed.”

“Do they think it’s that simple?”

Putin also claimed, without providing evidence, that the West was directly involved in Ukrainian attacks on Russian strategic bomber bases deep inside Russian territory, so US demands that Russia allow inspections of its nuclear facilities under the SNO treaty are “absurd.”

• “The USA and NATO openly say that their goal is to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia. and?
• After that, they will walk around our defense facilities, including the newest ones, as if nothing happened? (…)
• A week ago, I signed an order for the commissioning of new strategic ground systems.
• Do they also stick their noses in there or something?
• And they think that everything is so simple? Why are we going to let them in there so easily?” said the President of Russia.

What is the “New SNO Agreement”.

The “New SNO” treaty was signed in Prague in 2010, entered into force the following year and was extended in 2021 for another five years immediately after the inauguration of the new US President Joe Biden.

The new treaty sets an upper limit on the number of strategic nuclear warheads that Russia and the United States can deploy, as well as the deployment of submarines and bombers capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

Last August, Russia announced the suspension of American inspections of its military facilities under the New SNO treaty.

Russia has the world’s largest arsenal of nuclear weapons, numbering nearly 6,000 warheads. The United States and Russia together possess 90% of the world’s nuclear warheads.