New START Treaty Expires: Official Positions of Moscow and Beijing
New START Treaty Expires on February 5: Official Positions of Moscow and Beijing
The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, announced that the New START Treaty will expire today, Thursday, February 5, describing the development negatively and expressing regret.
Peskov clarified that Russian President Vladimir Putin affirmed Moscow’s readiness to continue adhering to the treaty’s limitations for one year after its expiration, provided that compliance measures are reciprocal with the United States.
Russian Intelligence: Monitoring Nuclear Capabilities
Sergei Naryshkin, Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, stated that Moscow will act responsibly following the expiration of the New START Treaty and will assess the situation and the behavior of other countries, particularly those possessing nuclear weapons. Naryshkin added that Russia attempted to preserve the treaty and adhered to its restrictions until its expiration, while continuing to monitor international compliance responsibly.
Beijing: No Participation in Arms Race
In the same context, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, emphasized that China maintains its nuclear forces at the minimum level required for national security and does not intend to participate in an arms race.
He added that China will not engage in nuclear weapons negotiations at this stage, stressing the importance of maintaining global strategic stability and ensuring the security of states.
START Treaties
The New START Treaty (“START-3“) was signed on April 8, 2010, and entered into force in 2011, serving as a cornerstone of the bilateral strategic nuclear arms control framework between the United States and Russia.
The Russian Foreign Ministry indicated that the suspension of the treaty resulted from unsatisfactory implementation of certain provisions by the United States and described actions inconsistent with the fundamental principles of the treaty.
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