January 31 According to “Russia Today”, the Information Bureau of the Russian Kremlin announced on the 29th that Russian President Putin signed the Treaty on the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms between Russia and the United States on the same day.
Legal document of the year, the law shall take effect from the date of publication and shall be valid until February 5, 2026.
New START is the only major arms control treaty in force between Russia and the United States, originally scheduled to expire on February 5, 2021.
The Russian Ministry of Legal Administration issued a statement saying that extending the New START period is in Russia’s national interest, can maintain the transparency and predictability of Russia-US strategic relations, maintain world strategic stability, and have a positive impact on the international situation.
New START, which has been in effect since 2011, aims to limit the number of strategic nuclear warheads and delivery vehicles deployed by the United States and Russia.
According to the treaty, the two countries should reduce the number of their respective intercontinental ballistic missiles to less than 700, the number of nuclear warheads to 1,550, and the number of deployed and non-deployed nuclear warhead launchers to 800, including land-based, sea-based and air-based launch systems, within seven years after the entry into force of the treaty.
After the INF Treaty expired in 2019, the Treaty on Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms became the only arms control treaty between the United States and Russia, and will expire on February 5, 2021.
Previously, the United States and Russia held several rounds of negotiations on the extension of New START, but no substantive progress was made.
In sharp contrast to Russia’s positive attitude, the United States has been setting a threshold for renewal.
Until January 23, 2021, U.S. Defense Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement that Russia’s previous compliance with the treaty was in the national security interests of the United States, and that the extension of the treaty until 2026 would provide time and space for the two countries to explore new arms control agreements, “thrussing further reduce the risks faced by Americans. “.
Kremlin spokesman Peskov said Russia welcomed the move and the symbolic political will of the Biden administration, and Moscow was waiting for specific proposals.
Peskov said at a press conference on the 22nd that Russia will not deviate from the established position in the negotiations.
“We have a position, which is well-known and consistent, and we cannot deviate from it.”
In response to the agreement between the United States and Russia on the extension of the validity period of the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said at a regular press conference on the 27th that China welcomes this.
Zhao Lijian said that the extension of the treaty is conducive to maintaining global strategic stability and promoting international peace and security, which is in line with the common expectations of the international community.
China hopes that the two sides will complete the relevant procedures for the extension of the Treaty as soon as possible.
At the same time, as the country with the largest nuclear arsenal, the United States and Russia still account for more than 90% of the world’s nuclear weapons.
The two sides should earnestly fulfill their special and priority responsibilities for nuclear disarmament in accordance with international consensus, further substantially reduce their nuclear arsenals, and finally achieve comprehensive Create conditions for complete nuclear disarmament.
