US accuses Russia of violating nuclear deal

The US accuses Russia of failing to meet its obligations under a joint nuclear weapons agreement. The Kremlin has so far remained silent on the accusation.

According to the United States, Russia is not complying with its obligations under the New Start nuclear weapons treaty. A statement by the US State Department on Tuesday said that Russia would not allow the inspections agreed in the treaty on its territory. Arms control talks were also canceled.

This threatens the “feasibility of US-Russian nuclear weapons control”. Russia must again allow inspections in the country and return to the bilateral arms control talks agreed in “New Start”. The government in Washington is still willing to work with Russia on full implementation of the treaty. A Russian statement was initially not available.

The New Start Treaty, signed in 2010, is the only remaining nuclear disarmament agreement between the United States and Russia. It obliges both countries to reduce their nuclear warheads to a maximum of 1,550 each. However, Washington does not currently accuse Moscow of having increased the number of nuclear warheads above the permissible upper limit.

Last November, amid the Ukraine war, Russia called off planned arms control talks with the United States. The Russian Foreign Ministry justified the decision with “hostility” from the United States.

Moscow had already announced in August that it would suspend US inspections of its military sites as part of “New Start”. The Russian government has accused the US of obstructing Russian inspectors, which the government in Washington denies. The Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has pushed relations between Washington and Moscow to a new low.