Washington, Mar 15 (EFE).- The United States government insisted this Wednesday that it remains willing to negotiate with Russia on the new START, after Moscow’s decision to pause this treaty.
The State Department said in a statement that the US remains “ready to meet and discuss” with Russia the concerns of both countries “related to compliance with the treaty.”
However, Washington also took the opportunity to accuse Russia of taking “unfortunate and irresponsible steps” by pausing the treaty and threatening the “viability” of the pact.
“USA. considers that Russia did not carry out actions above the limits of the treaty in 2022, however Russia’s inability to allow inspections and issue notifications impairs the US ability to assess nuclear deployments “of the government of Vladimir Putin, the statement said.
Moscow stressed last Friday that it could resume START “only in the event that the US “reviews its attitude towards Russia”.
“We will maintain contacts with the Americans as necessary. We cannot affirm that we have significant results. But Moscow does not reject dialogue, we are open to it,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Riabkov.
Putin announced on February 21 the suspension of his country’s compliance with the New START, although he qualified that Russia is not abandoning the pact, but is limiting itself to suspending it because of the US and the hostile attitude of Washington, which it supports with weapons and finance to Ukraine.
Signed in 2010 by then-US and Russian presidents Barack Obama and Dmitri Medvedev, New START limits the number of long-range nuclear warheads each country can have deployed to 1,550.
It also restricts the number of launch vehicles and systems Washington and Moscow can have deployed or in reserve, but its cornerstone is the verification regime the treaty establishes to ensure these limits are met.
