Support The Moscow Times!

Russia Rejects U.S. Claim of New START Violations

A Yars mobile missile system is tested at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia's far north. Russian Defense Ministry / AP / TASS

Russia remains committed to its last remaining nuclear arms control pact with the United States despite claims that it is failing to comply with the treaty, Moscow’s Ambassador to Washington said Wednesday as fears of nuclear confrontation loom over the war in Ukraine.

The U.S. State Department on Tuesday accused Russia of not complying with New START by suspending inspections and canceling talks. 

It did not accuse its Cold War rival of expanding the number of nuclear warheads beyond agreed limits.

Responding to the accusations, Ambassador Anatoly Antonov instead blamed Washington for the deterioration of New START, claiming Moscow was responding to “the hybrid war unleashed by the West against our country.”

“We have warned that arms control cannot be isolated from geopolitical realities,” the Russian diplomat said in comments published on the Russian Embassy’s Facebook page.

At the same time, Antonov said “we intend to continue observing the central limits of the Treaty.”

Later Wednesday, the Kremlin said it believes that the continuation of this treaty is very important.

On the other hand, we see that the United States has actually destroyed the legal framework in the field of arms control and security, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

​​New START, the only remaining arms reduction treaty between the world’s two largest nuclear powers, establishes a limit on both countries’ strategic nuclear arsenals. It will remain in force until 2026, at which point it will be up for another extension.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said last week that talks on New START had been effectively “frozen” even before Moscow sent its forces into Ukraine.

He blamed Washington’s refusal in late 2021 to accept Russia’s demands for security guarantees — which included clauses to halt military cooperation with former Soviet countries and permanently block Ukraine from NATO membership.

“We can say that as a result of Washington’s actions, arms control has become a hostage to the overall deep degradation of our bilateral relations,” Ryabkov told the Kommersant business daily.

Diplomacy between the two powers has ground to a bare minimum over the past year as the U.S. leads a drive to punish Russia economically for its war against Ukraine and arm Kyiv with billions of dollars in weapons.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued thinly veiled threats to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, reviving Cold War-era fears of an apocalyptic war.

Russia indefinitely postponed talks under New START that had been due to start on Nov. 29 in Cairo, accusing the United States of "toxicity and animosity." 

AFP contributed reporting.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more