The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Feb. 4 on the Feb. 5 expiration of the New START treaty. After a summary review of the history of the treaty, the statement says the following:
“Despite some obvious problematic moments, basically the New START Treaty used to fulfill its key functions. The conclusion of the Treaty and the years of its initially successful implementation helped to discourage the strategic arms race, allowing for significant reductions in the parties’ arsenals. At the same time, due to the restrictions applied in this area a sufficient level of predictability was ensured on a long-term basis.
“While the destructive steps taken by the United States made counterproductive for the Russian Federation to fully implement the New START Treaty at the final stage of its existence, our country was well aware that the core of the Treaty continued to play a positive role in reducing the risks of further undermining strategic stability. That is why, in parallel to suspending this agreement, the Russian Federation announced the intention to voluntarily maintain its commitment to the central quantitative limits on weapons regulated by the New START until the end of the Treaty’s life cycle in February 2026. At that time, the United States followed suit, announcing its readiness to act in a similar manner.”
