Putin suspends plutonium deal with United States

MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin on Monday suspended a Russia-US deal on the disposal of weapons-grade plutonium, a move that comes amid escalating tensions over

MOSCOW: President Vladimir Putin on Monday suspended a Russia-US deal on the disposal of weapons-grade plutonium, a move that comes amid escalating tensions over Syria between Moscow and Washington.

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Putin’s decree released by the Kremlin cited Washington’s “unfriendly actions” and the United States’ inability to fulfill its obligations under the 2000 deal as reasons for the move.

However, the decree says that the weapons-grade plutonium that has fallen under the agreement will be kept away from weapons programs.

Under the agreement, which was expanded in 2006 and 2010, Russia and the US each were to dispose of 34 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium, enough material for about 17,000 nuclear warheads. When it was signed, the deal was touted as an example of successful US-Russian cooperation on nuclear non-proliferation.