NATO on Friday called on Russia to abide by the only treaty it has with the United States aimed at keeping the expansion of nuclear weapons under control and urged Moscow to allow field inspections of military sites to resume.
The so-called New START treaty was signed by Russia and the United States in 2010. It limits the number of long-range nuclear warheads they can deploy to 1,550, and limits the use of missiles that can carry atomic weapons. It allows for short-notice inspections of each other’s nuclear bases and support facilities.
“We note with concern that Russia has failed to meet its legally binding obligations under the New START Treaty,” NATO ambassadors said in a statement. The 30-nation US-led military alliance supports the treaty and believes it helps limit the expansion of nuclear forces.
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The envoys said Russia’s refusal to hold US consultations or permit inspections since last August “prevents the US from exercising important rights under the treaty and undermines the US ability to adequately monitor Russian compliance with the core limits of the Treaty”.
“We call on Russia to fulfill its obligations under the Treaty by facilitating New START inspections on Russian territory and by returning to participation in the Treaty Implementation Body,” the forum where the two sides could consult, NATO said.
President Barack Obama, left, and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev sign the New START treaty in Prague April 8, 2010. NATO called on Russia on February 3, 2023 to comply with the treaty and urged Moscow to allow field inspections .
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Files)
President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly escalated his nuclear rhetoric since ordering Russian troops into Ukraine nearly a year ago, raising concern among Western allies and the public about whether he might actually use such weapons.
The US-Russia committee formed under the treaty last met in October 2021, but Russia unilaterally suspended its cooperation under the pact’s inspection provisions in August 2022 to protest US support to Ukraine.
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Inspections of US and Russian military sites under the New START treaty were suspended by both sides due to the spread of the coronavirus in March 2020.
The US State Department warned on Tuesday that “Russia’s refusal to facilitate inspection activities prevents the United States from exercising important rights under the treaty and threatens the viability of US-Russian nuclear arms control.”
