(Washington) The United States said Tuesday that Russia does not respect the New Start treaty, the last nuclear disarmament agreement binding them.
American diplomacy criticized Moscow for having suspended inspections and canceled talks planned under this agreement, without accusing it of having extended its nuclear arsenal beyond the agreed limits.
With their new majority in the House of Representatives, the Republicans had asked the head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken to inform them by Tuesday if Russia violated this treaty.
“Russia is not fulfilling its obligation under the New Start Treaty to facilitate inspection activities on its territory,” said a State Department spokesperson.
He assured that the country “has a clear path to return to full compliance”.
Last year, Moscow announced to postpone a meeting scheduled for late November between Russians and Americans on inspections under the treaty, accusing Washington of “hostility” and “toxicity”.
Relations between the two nuclear powers are at their lowest since the start of the war in Ukraine.
The last meeting of this advisory commission dates back to October 2021.
In a letter published last week, the heads of several powerful US congressional committees claimed that Russia’s actions and statements “raise at least serious concerns about their compliance” with New Start.
This treaty is the last bilateral agreement of its kind binding the two powers.
Immediately after his election in January 2021, US President Joe Biden extended it by five years, until 2026.
Signed in 2010, it limits the arsenals of the two countries to a maximum of 1,550 warheads deployed on either side, a reduction of almost 30% compared to the previous limit set in 2002. It also sets the maximum number of launchers and heavy bombers at 800.