Joe Biden wants to extend the last remaining nuclear disarmament treaty with Russia by five years. A US government representative announced that national security advisor Jake Sullivan would make a corresponding proposal on Thursday (local time) to the Russian ambassador to the USA, Anatoly Antonov. With Biden not calling for changes to the contract, chances are good that Moscow will agree to an extension as well. The Washington Post newspaper initially reported on the US offer for the New Start Agreement.
The pact expires in February. It was signed in 2010 by then US President Barack Obama and then Russian head of state Dmitri Medvedev. New Start imposes a limit on each of the countries to a total of 1550 nuclear warheads. Both sides are also allowed 700 active delivery systems, i.e. ICBMs and bombers. The contract provides for extensive on-site inspections to verify compliance. Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, was extremely critical of the New Start Agreement because, in his view, it put the United States at a disadvantage. The ex-president also urged China to be included in the pact. However, Beijing flatly refused. The Trump administration waited until 2020 before entering into significant negotiations with Moscow over the future of New Start. During the election campaign, Biden had already indicated that he would campaign for the preservation of the agreement.
Shortly before the US offer became known, warned NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg the US and Russia to Extension of the pact. One should not get into a situation where there is no limit to the number of nuclear warheads. New Start expires within a few days, Stoltenberg warned reporters in Brussels. At the same time, he emphasized that efforts to achieve greater gun control should not end with the continuation of New Start. It is important to expand the pact to other weapon systems that are not covered in it. China should also be included, as it is currently massively modernizing its nuclear weapons and expanding its nuclear capabilities, said Stoltenberg. Arms control advocate warn that one End of the treaty would remove any reins placed on the nuclear powers of the US and Russia. The result would be a severe blow to global stability. Canada and European NATO partners are also generally concerned about a gradual move away from non-proliferation treaties.
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