Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday announced that Moscow was suspending the major remaining nuclear arms control treaty, called the New START treaty, with the US amidst tensions with Washington over the invasion of Ukraine.
At his state of the nation address, Putin also said that Russia would resume nuclear weapons tests if the US does so—a decision that would likely spark renewed global nuclear arms race between the two superpower nations.
“They want to inflict a strategic defeat on us and claim our nuclear facilities,” the Russian president was quoted as saying, according to Reuters news agency.
“In this regard, I am forced to state that Russia is suspending its participation in the strategic offensive arms treaty.”
Under the New START treaty, United States and Russia had pledged to limit the two sides’ strategic nuclear arsenals.
Russia-Ukraine war: Putin delivers major address in Moscow
Giving reasons for his decision, the 70-year-old squarely blamed the U.S. and its NATO allies of openly declaring the goal of Russia’s defeat in Ukraine.
He argued that while the US has pushed for the resumption of inspections of Russian nuclear facilities under the treaty, NATO allies had helped Ukraine mount drone attacks on Russian air bases hosting nuclear-capable strategic bombers.
“Now, through NATO representatives, they are putting forward, in fact, an ultimatum: you, Russia, must fulfil everything that you have agreed on, including the Start treaty, and we will behave as we please.”
He slammed NATO’s support for Ukraine, and claimed the west was seeking a “strategic defeat” of Russia. He also claimed the US was seeking to rewrite the post-second world war security architecture, “to build an American-style world where there is only one master”.
(With inputs from agencies)
