Russia Links New START Future to Washington’s Policy, Contradicting US Media Reports

According to the International Desk of Webangah News Agency, Gennady Gatilov, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, has stated that Moscow’s position regarding the New START strategic arms reduction treaty is contingent upon the behavior of Washington. This declaration outlines a cautious approach from the Russian Federation concerning the future of the crucial nuclear agreement.

In an interview with RIA Novosti news agency, Gatilov explicitly confirmed that the future policy of the Russian Federation concerning New START will be formulated based on a thorough evaluation of Washington’s policies and the latest developments in the global strategic landscape. This underscores Moscow’s demand for observable policy shifts from the US before committing further to the pact.

This official positioning stands in direct opposition to recent claims circulating in American media outlets. Those reports had asserted that Washington and Moscow had reached an understanding to adhere to the provisions of the New START treaty for an additional six months. Such speculation suggested a temporary stabilization of the agreement.

Axios previously reported, citing informed sources, that representatives from both nations engaged in negotiations in Abu Dhabi and purportedly agreed to remain committed to the obligations of the New START treaty for a minimum of six more months, using that period to negotiate an extension. This alleged breakthrough is now being downplayed by Moscow’s clear qualification of its continued participation.

The New START treaty, signed in 2010, was established with the primary goal of controlling and reducing the nuclear arsenals of the United States and the Russian Federation. Under the terms of this treaty, both nations are obligated to limit their respective nuclear stockpiles to a maximum of 1,550 deployed warheads each.