Russia Refuses to Extend New START Treaty Due to US Stance

Russia has stated that the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) was not extended due to the stance of the United States, which has declared its readiness to activate its reserve nuclear capabilities. The statement was made by Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Gennady Gatilov, in an interview with RIA Novosti on Saturday. “In February of this year, the New START treaty was not extended because of Washington’s position,” Gatilov said. According to him, the United States ignored Russia’s proposals to maintain restraint and stability in the strategic sphere. Instead, Washington stated it now has “freedom of action” and can act from a position of greater strength. Gatilov said the United States has not yet formally discussed increasing the number of nuclear warheads. However, according to him, Washington has confirmed its readiness to promptly activate what is referred to as reserve nuclear capacity. “They have confirmed their readiness to activate reserve nuclear capabilities,” Gatilov stated. He added that the United States is also prepared to modify some of its aircraft to carry nuclear weapons. Furthermore, Gatilov reiterated accusations that the United States has illegally excluded dozens of launch vehicles from the scope of the New START treaty. He noted that this issue has long been a concern for Russia in discussions regarding the implementation of the arms control agreement.