“Expansion of the New START Treaty makes the United States, US allies and partners, and the world safer. An unlimited nuclear competition will put us all at risk,” Blinken said.
The treaty – the only one still regulated over the two largest nuclear arsenals in the world – would expire on 5 February. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a law extending the treaty by five years.
President Joe Biden made the renewal of the treaty a priority when he took office, even as he began a review of Russian unrest, ranging from the SolarWinds cap to the alleged rewards Moscow offered for death of U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
In a statement, Blinken said that the extension of the New START Treaty allows verifiable restrictions on Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and heavy bombers until February 5, 2026, and that the treaty’s “verification regime allows us to Russia’s compliance with the treaty provides us with greater insight into Russia’s nuclear position, including through the exchange of data and on – site inspections that enable US inspectors to monitor Russian nuclear forces and facilities. ‘
“We will also exercise arms control to reduce the dangers of China’s modern and growing nuclear arsenal,” Blinken added. “The United States is committed to effective arms control that increases stability, transparency and predictability, while reducing the risks of costly, dangerous arms battles.”
The top US diplomat noted that ‘just as we engage the Russian Federation in ways that advance US interests, such as seeking a five-year extension of the New START and broader discussions to reduce the likelihood of crisis and conflict, we are clearly watching the challenges that Russia poses to the United States and the world. ‘
“Even as we work with Russia to advance American interests, we will also work to bring Russia to justice for conflicting actions as well as human rights violations, in close coordination with our allies and partners,” he said.
The United States and its allies have been united in sentencing opposition leader Alexey Navalny to two and a half years in prison, a move that will be part of Biden’s review of Russia’s policy, according to White House spokesman Jen Psaki. . And European countries, gaining access to information gained by the US through the new START exchanges with Russia, have insisted on expanding the nuclear treaty.
Coordination and confrontation
The New START treaty limits both countries to the implementation of 1,550 nuclear warheads across 700 delivery systems, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and bombers. It also allows 18 on-site inspections annually so that each side can closely monitor the other’s capabilities.
The nuclear deal is one of a series of issues the Biden administration must deal with or possibly coordinate with Russia, including efforts to punish North Korea and ensure stability in Afghanistan – questions the president must first consult with allies. Also on the list for discussion with allies: the question of managing sanctions against Russia for its annexation of Crimea.
Biden must also suspect that Moscow is behind a series of mysterious sonic attacks on US diplomats abroad, reports that Russia has secretly offered rewards to Afghan militias to kill US soldiers and Moscow’s interference in the 2020 election campaign.
Most worryingly, Biden also has to dispel the suspicion that Russia may be behind one of the largest and most sophisticated cyberattacks in years, one that reaches large U.S. businesses and agencies across the government, including the Department of Homeland Security, Agriculture and Trade. . U.S. officials have also acknowledged that the hack extends to national security agencies, including the Pentagon, intelligence agencies and the State Department.