Putin extends nuclear arms limits for one more year after expiry of US pact

Russia's Putin says Moscow will adhere to nuclear arms limits for one more year.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday announced that Moscow will voluntarily continue to observe the New Start nuclear weapons treaty for one more year, even after the expiration of the pact with the United States.

Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with members of the Security Council at the Kremlin in Moscow. (REUTERS)

“To avoid provoking a further strategic arms race and to ensure an acceptable level of predictability and restraint, we believe it is justified to try to maintain the status quo established by the New START Treaty during the current, rather turbulent period,” he said in televised remarks.

Moscow further said it expects a similar step from the United States, news agency AP reported.

“We believe this measure will only be viable if the United States acts in a similar manner and does not take steps that undermine or disrupt the existing balance of deterrence potentials,” the Russian leader said.

Putin added that “based on our analysis of the situation, we will subsequently make a decision on maintaining these voluntary self-restraints.”

The Russian President also emphasised that Moscow's honouring the pact's limits could “make a significant contribution to creating an atmosphere conducive to substantive strategic dialogue with the US," provided that other efforts are also taken to normalise bilateral relations.

New START nuclear treaty

The New START, which was signed by then-President Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev, was suspended by Putin in 2023, though Moscow pledged to continue complying with its terms until the accord’s expiration.

The treaty limited each country to no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers. Its looming expiration and the lack of dialogue on anchoring a successor deal have worried arms control advocates.