MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin has suspended Russia’s participation in the New START, Russia-US nuclear treaty seeking to limit Russia and America’s strategic arsenals.
Speaking during his state-of-the-nation address to parliament and top officials in Moscow on Tuesday, Putin said Russia won’t allow the US and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to inspect its nuclear facilities.
He also said Russia won’t be the first to resume testing of nuclear weapons as a result of its suspension of New START, though it will do so in response to any US test
The treaty that was extended in 2021 is due to expire in 2026.
President Vladimir Putin vowed to press on with his invasion of Ukraine, according to Al Jazeera.
He said Russia is fighting for its “historic lands” in Ukraine and “will fulfil the tasks set step-by-step, carefully and consistently.”
NATO’s Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said he regrets Russia’s decision to suspend its participation in the New START nuclear arms control treaty with the United States.
Speaking during a joint press conference with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and the European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, Stoltenberg urged Moscow to reconsider the move.
His remarks came shortly after President Vladimir Putin delivered a warning to the West over Ukraine in a combative state-of-the-union address.
Stoltenberg also rejected Putin’s claims that Kyiv and its Western allies were to blame for the war, saying instead that Russia was the aggressor.
