Russia will carefully monitor US actions following the expiration of the New START Treaty, but will approach the situation with full responsibility and will not take steps leading to escalation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with NTV channel, reported TASS.
“We will very carefully observe how the American side acts now, after the formal absence of any limiting mechanisms. At the same time, we will treat this situation with full responsibility and do not intend to be the first to take steps toward escalation,” Lavrov emphasized. “What are the Americans going to do? US President Donald Trump has said that this treaty is ‘bad’ and allegedly was being violated. What violations did he see on the Russian side? I do not know. We had serious questions regarding the strictness of compliance with the treaty’s requirements, to which the Americans did not respond,” the minister continued.
Sergei Shoigu, the secretary of the Russian Security Council, meanwhile told Kommersant that Moscow is ready to consider ideas for a new legal framework in the area of global stability, “provided the appropriate conditions are created.”
“First, the United States quit the ABM Treaty under far-fetched pretexts, then ruined the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and unilaterally withdrew from the Open Skies Treaty. Who violated these agreements and how is well known; the Russian side has repeatedly cited the facts,” Shoigu stated. “It is precisely because of Washington that the legal basis for strategic stability has been completely destroyed.”
He emphasized that “Moscow has never shied away from fulfilling its obligations."Feb. 11, 2026 (EIRNS)—Russia will carefully monitor US actions following the expiration of the New START Treaty, but will approach the situation with full responsibility and will not take steps leading to escalation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with NTV channel, reported TASS.
