Disacification contract New Start: Kremlin: Regular extension of nuclear weapons contract impossible

According to information from the Kremlin, it is impossible to negotiate the nuclear disarmament contract for new start before leaving in February 2026. That was practically not feasible in time, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskow. “This is a very complicated fabric that requires a complex approach.” He characterized President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to the United States to adhere to the provisions of the contract for another year as without an alternative.

The topic of nuclear security in the conversations between Putin and US President Donald Trump was addressed, but there was no agreement. Both countries threatened to remain in the area of ​​strategic stability and security after the new start expired without any agreement, said Peskow. However, Putin’s proposal could only work if the USA also adhered to the guidelines, he confirmed.

Putin had offered the United States the day before at a meeting of the National Security Council to continue to adhere to the limits of the contract if Washington should do this too. The New Start contract was concluded in 2010 and last extended by five years in 2021. It provides for a reduction in nuclear warheads and the carrier systems.

Actually, these reductions should also be checked by inspections on both sides. However, in 2023 Putin, a year after his attack on Ukraine, had Russia’s participation in New Start. Among other things, he justified this with the fact that the West controls Ukraine strikes against Russia’s strategic weapons systems.