Moscow Signals Conditional Compliance With Lapsed Nuclear Treaty as Washington Weighs Next Steps

Russia says it will continue observing New START warhead and launcher limits if the United States does, despite the treaty’s expiration.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

Russia announced Wednesday that it will continue adhering to the nuclear arms restrictions outlined in the expired New START treaty, provided the United States maintains compliance as well, according to reporting by The Associated Press.

The treaty expired Thursday, marking the first time in more than five decades that there are no formal constraints on the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals. The agreement had placed caps on deployed strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems maintained by both nations.

Last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled willingness to continue observing the treaty’s limitations for an additional year if the United States reciprocated. President Donald Trump has maintained that any future nuclear agreement should include China, an approach Beijing has rejected.

Speaking before the lower house of the Russian Parliament on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow would uphold the limits established under New START as long as Washington does the same.

“The moratorium declared by the president will remain as long as the U.S. doesn’t exceed these limits,” Lavrov said. “We will act in a responsible and balanced way on the basis of analysis of the U.S. military policies.”

Lavrov added that Russia believes the United States is not moving to immediately abandon the numerical caps.

“We have reason to believe that the United States is in no hurry to abandon these limits and that they will be observed for the foreseeable future,” he said.

He further stated, “We will closely monitor how things are actually unfolding. If our American colleagues’ intention to maintain some kind of cooperation on this is confirmed, we will work actively on a new agreement and consider the issues that have remained outside strategic stability agreements.”

The New START treaty had served as the last remaining bilateral nuclear arms control framework between Moscow and Washington. With its expiration, future limitations will depend on voluntary adherence or negotiation of a new agreement.