MOSCOW/WASHINGTON: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday offered to voluntarily maintain the limits on deployed strategic nuclear weapons set in the 2010 New START accord after it expires in February if the U.S. agreed to do the same. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Putin’s proposal sounded “pretty good,“ but she added that U.S. President Donald Trump would address the offer himself. The agreement is the last U.S.-Russia strategic nuclear arms control accord. It allowed for only one five-year extension, which Putin and former U.S. President Joe Biden agreed to implement in 2021. The offer, which comes as Ukraine tries to convince Trump to impose harsher sanctions on Russia, was made public by Putin at a meeting of his Security Council.
“Russia is prepared to continue adhering to the central numerical limits under the New START Treaty for one year after February 5, 2026,“ he said.
“Subsequently, based on an analysis of the situation, we will make a decision on whether to maintain these voluntary, self-imposed restrictions.” Trump in July said he would like to maintain the limits on deployed strategic nuclear weapons set in the 2010 New START pact after it expires on February 5. Russia and the United States have by far the biggest nuclear arsenals in the world, and many experts fear that ending the limits could fuel an arms race as both sides boost strategic weapons deployments. The treaty caps the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads at 1,550 and the number of delivery vehicles - missiles, submarines and bombers - at 700 on each side.
PUTIN UNDER PRESSURE TO END UKRAINE WAR
Putin said his proposal was in the interests of global non-proliferation and could help spur dialogue with Washington about arms control.
[SRC] https://newswav.com/article/putin-proposes-one-year-extension-to-us-russia-nuclear-treaty-A2509_eyuZxq
