Status: 02/21/2023 4:25 p.m
According to President Putin, Russia is suspending its participation in the “New Start” nuclear weapons treaty with the United States. In his address to the nation, he previously blamed Western elites for the escalation in Ukraine.
Russia is suspending its participation in the “New Start” treaty, which limits the strategic nuclear arsenals of Moscow and the United States. This was announced by President Vladimir Putin in his State of the Union address in front of Parliament. He feels compelled. “We are not withdrawing from it, but we are suspending our participation.” If the US conducts nuclear tests, Russia will do the same.
Demian von Osten, ARD Moscow, on Putin’s threat to suspend Russian participation in the “New Start” disarmament treaty
tagesschau24 3 p.m., 21.2.2023
The treaty serves to counteract the expansion of nuclear weapons arsenals. It was signed in Prague in 2010, came into effect in 2011 and was extended for a further five years in 2021, immediately after US President Joe Biden took office. This limits how many long-range nuclear warheads countries can deploy. In addition, the use of missiles that can carry nuclear weapons is restricted.
What is the New Start contract?
The “New Start” treaty is a treaty between Russia and the United States in which both countries commit to reducing strategic arms.
“New Start” is the follow-up agreement to “Start”, which expired at the end of 2009. In April 2010, then-US President Barack Obama and then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed the contract, which was initially valid for ten years and went into effect on February 5, 2011. US President Joe Biden and Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin extended it by five more years in January 2021.
“New Start” requires both parties to reduce the number of their nuclear warheads to a maximum of 1,550 and the number of nuclear delivery systems to 800 – of the latter, a maximum of 700 may be in use. Compliance is to be checked by satellite and remote monitoring as well as by 18 on-site inspections per year. However, there have been no more inspections since March 2020 – first because of the coronavirus pandemic, then later because Moscow postponed negotiations on resuming inspections.
Russia and the US have about 90 percent of the world’s nuclear warheads. Both sides have always emphasized in the past that a war between nuclear powers must be avoided at all costs.
Putin blames West for war
Earlier in his speech, President Putin blamed the West for the war in Ukraine. He explained that the West started the war – Russia merely used its “power to stop the war”. The West is making Ukraine “anti-Russia,” Putin said. And: The West wants to take away from us the “historic areas that are now called Ukraine.” In doing so, Putin again tried to justify his invasion of Ukraine by arguing that Western countries had threatened Russia.
“Do not wage war against the Ukrainian people”
In his speech, Putin further emphasized that Russia is not at war with the Ukrainian people. The West occupied the country and installed the “Neo-Nazi regime” in Kiev, which oppresses the people of Ukraine. Russia is fighting this regime. According to Putin, it is also clear that the more weapons are supplied, the more Russia will be forced to defend itself. He added that the West wants to “finish” Russia “once and for all”.
Putin wants to continue upgrading the Russian army
Russia did everything to resolve the conflict peacefully – the West was not interested in that, Putin said. He accused the West of playing the wrong cards. The Russian President cited arms deliveries to Ukraine and an expansion of NATO as supposed evidence of this. Russia is nevertheless ready for a constructive dialogue with the West.
Putin’s goal was to continue to upgrade the Russian army – to do this, they wanted to introduce the latest technologies.
Putin said that the western sanctions would not hit Russia that badly. On the contrary: many companies in Russia are doing well; Russia experienced an upswing in the third and fourth quarters. In Russia’s labor market there is a decline in unemployment, Putin said. Niches that became free after Western companies withdrew were being filled. Russia wants to expand its trade towards East Asia.
The United States and NATO, among others, commented on Putin’s speech: US Secretary of State Blinken described the suspension of the “New Start” treaty as “disappointing and irresponsible”. NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg also regretted the decision. He appealed to Putin to reconsider it At the same time, both clearly rejected Putin’s accusations that the West was held responsible for the war in Ukraine.
In 2022, Putin did not deliver a state of the nation address, despite the fact that the constitution requires an annual address. This year’s speech came three days before the first anniversary of the Russian war in Ukraine.