So far, the only known response from the Biden Administration to the Russian Foreign Ministry statement that Russia has suspended inspections in Russia under the New START treaty, has been a comment to CNN by the US State Department which amounts to a non-answer. A department spokesman told CNN that “the principles of reciprocity, mutual predictability, and mutual stability will continue to guide the US approach to implementation of the New START Treaty, as they have since the treaty entered into force in 2011.” The spokesman added that “we keep discussions between the parties concerning treaty implementation confidential.”
The UN, however, is calling on both sides to resolve the dispute. “Both sides should resolve all issues regarding access and allow inspectors to get back to their invaluable work of verifying this important treaty,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN Secretary General, told TASS. “As the only remaining bilateral nuclear arms control agreement between the United States and Russian Federation, New START is an essential element of international peace and security, and the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime.”
