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NATO urges Russia not to suspend New START nuclear agreement with US Photo/Illustration/Sindonews
BRUSSELS – Secretary General (Secretary General) NATO Jens Stoltenberg, regretted the decision Russia to suspend his participation in nuclear weapons control treaty bilateral New START with United States of America (US). He also urged Moscow to reconsider.
During a joint news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell held shortly after President Vladimir Putin issued a warning to the West against Ukraine, Stoltenberg said Russia was the aggressor.
“It was President Putin who started this war of empire conquest. As Putin made clear today, he is preparing for more wars. Putin must not win. It would be dangerous for our own security and that of the whole world,” Stoltenberg said.
Read: Putin Places Nuclear Forces on High Alert when Biden Visits Ukraine
“I regret Russia’s decision to suspend its participation in the New Start program,” he added.
As previously announced, President Vladimir Putin announced Moscow was suspending its participation in the last remaining nuclear deal between Russia and the US. During a key speech to the Russian Parliament, he noted Moscow would not be dropping out of the New START Agreement, but was temporarily withdrawing.
Explaining the decision, Putin noted the agreement was originally drawn up under very different circumstances, when Russia and the US did not consider each other as enemies.
Read: Putin Withdraws Russia from Last Nuclear Treaty with United States
Now, however, according to Putin, not only has the US issued an ultimatum to Russia, but NATO itself has essentially applied to be part of the deal as well.
The New START treaty was originally signed in 2010 by then-US President Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev, and aimed at halving the number of strategic nuclear missile launchers deployed around the world.
Under the agreement, both countries are supposed to allow the other party to conduct a limited number of inspections per year to verify compliance with the agreement. Unless extended, the agreement will expire in 2026.
Read: Putin: Russia is Ready for Dialogue with the West for Years, But Ignored, Rejected!
(ian)
