United States: The United States has accused Russia of violating the New START treaty, claiming Moscow was refusing to allow inspection activities on its territory. The treaty is considered the last major pillar of post-Cold War nuclear arms control between the two countries.

The treaty came into force in 2011 and was extended for five more years in 2021. It limits the number of strategic nuclear weapons that the countries can deploy and the deployment of land- and submarine-based missiles and bombers to deliver them.

The two countries still account for about 90 percent of the world’s nuclear warheads.

“Russia’s refusal to facilitate inspection activities prevents the United States from exercising important rights under the treaty and threatens the viability of US-Russian nuclear arms control,” a state department spokesperson commented.

The department remarked that “Russia had a “clear path” for returning to compliance by allowing inspection activities, and that Washington remains ready to work with Russia to fully implement the treaty.”

“The New START treaty remains in the national security interests of the United States,” the statement added.

Talks between Moscow and Washington on resuming inspections under the New START were scheduled to take place in November 2022 in Egypt. But Russia postponed the talks, accusing the United States of “toxicity and animosity,” and neither side has announced a new date.

Recently, Russia informed the United States that the treaty may end in 2026 without a renewal since Washington was attempting to inflict “strategic defeat” on Moscow in Ukraine.

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