Putin suspends Russia’s involvement in only remaining nuclear arms reduction treaty

Putin’s announcement of major change to Russia’s nuclear weapons policy has been condemned, with fears it could lead to a new arms race.

In a typically bitter speech in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the country would be suspending its participation in the last remaining treaty which limits the size of its nuclear weapons arsenal.

Putin also said Russia could restart testing nuclear weapons – but only if the US did the same.

The move, which it’s feared could reignite a Cold War-style nuclear arms race and see mushroom clouds once more appear at remote tests sites, has been called “dangerous” by NATO and criticised by the US and European Union.

Putin announced the latest nuclear threat in his state of the union address in Moscow on Tuesday morning local time. While he also talked about domestic matters, such as the economy and infrastructure, much of the speech was taken up by the war in Ukraine.

He blamed the West for Russia embarking on its so-called “special ministry operation,” which this week reaches its one year anniversary.

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his annual state of the nation address at the Gostiny Dvor conference centre in central Moscow on February 21, 2023. (Photo by Pavel BEDNYAKOV / SPUTNIK / AFP)

Putin said the conflict would continue. But the only notable military announcement in the two hour long speech was around nuclear arms and spurious claims the West wanted to control Russia’s nuclear bases.

“I am forced to announce today that Russia is suspending its participation in the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty,” he told the crowd which included Russia’s political elite.

“They want to inflict a ‘strategic defeat’ on us and try to get to our nuclear facilities at the same time,” he added.

However, while Russia has suspended its involvement in what is known a New START, Putin said it had not withdrawn from the treaty which remains in force until February 2026.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen on an outdoor screen on the facade of a building delivering his annual state of the nation address in Moscow on February 21, 2023. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)

What is New START?

New START, which has the less snappy official name of Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, was signed by then US President Barack Obama and then Russian President Dimity Medvedev on April 8, 2020, in Prague.

It is the only remaining nuclear weapons treaty in place with others having now expired.

The Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces treaty was suspended in 2019 after the Trump Administration accused Putin’s government of not being in compliance with its requirements.

New START has two main requirements. First, it limits Russia and the US to around 1500 deployed nuclear warheads each. This is far below the peak of either side’s nuclear arsenals in the 1980s.

Each nation possesses more weapons than 1500 each, but the remainder are either in stockpiles or out of use.

A convoy of nuclear missiles in Red Square, Moscow

Second, New START allows inspections of each other’s nuclear facilities several times a year.

The arms control aims of the treaty have been met. But the treaty has been shaky for some time.

The Covid-19 pandemic saw inspections of weapons facilities suspended and they haven’t resumed since.

Russia has refused to allow US officials back to its sites which Washington said in January meant Moscow was failing in its New START obligations.

“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,” a State Department spokesman said last month.

Then US President Barack Obama (L) and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev smile as they sign the New START Treaty in Prague in 2010.

But in his speech on Tuesday, Putin accused the US of helping Ukraine attack Russian bases that housed nuclear capable bombers.

“The drones used for it were equipped and modernised with NATO’s expert assistance,” he said.

“And now they want to inspect our defence facilities? In the conditions of today’s confrontation, it sounds like sheer nonsense.”

In November, Russia postponed talks that had been due to take place in the Egyptian capital of Cairo to discuss the resumption of inspection of nuclear facilities. No reason was given.

A US nuclear tests in 1954. Putin has said the US could be thinking of resuming testing.

Russia could resume nuclear tests

Putin also signalled that Russia could restart nuclear weapons tests, which is forbidden by the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).

He claimed some in Washington were considering resuming tests.

The CTBT came into force in 1996 and has been signed and ratified by Russia, but only signed by the US.

However, neither nation has conducted any physical nuclear tests since 1996.

The only countries which have tested weapons since that date are India, Pakistan and North Korea.

“Of course, we will not do this first,” Putin said of resuming tests.

“But if the United States conducts tests, then we will. No one should have dangerous illusions that global strategic parity can be destroyed.”

He added that a week ago he had signed a decree to put new ground based missiles on “combat duty”.

“Are they going to stick their nose in there too, or what? And they think that everything is so simple?

“What, are we going to let them in there just like that?”

Russian National Guard (Rosgvardiya) officers stand guard behind metal barriers set on Red Square prior to Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual state of the nation address, in central Moscow on February 21, 2023. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP)

If Russia and the US do not sign a new arms reduction treaty in the next four years then there will be nothing stopping either nation from ramping up their nuclear arsenals.

While nine nations are known to possess nuclear weapons – including India, Pakistan, the UK, France, Israel, China and North Korea – almost 90 per cent of the world’s warheads are owned by the US or Russia.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers a speech in Athens, on February 21, 2023. (Photo by Michael Varaklas / POOL / AFP)

West reacts

Speaking in Greece, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Russia’s New START suspension was “unfortunate and irresponsible”.

“We’ll be watching carefully to see what Russia actually does. We’ll of course make sure that in any event, we are postured appropriately for the security of our own country and that of our allies”.

Mr Blinken added, however, that the US would be open to restarting arms reduction negotiations, “at any time,” regardless of clashes elsewhere between the two superpowers.

Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary-general of the NATO military alliance said the world was now a more “dangerous” place.

“Over the last years Russia has violated and walked away from key arms control agreements. With today’s decision on New START the whole arms control architecture has been dismantled.

“More nuclear weapons and less arms control makes the world more dangerous,” he said after Putin’s speech.

EU foreign policy head Josep Borrell said Russia was, “demolishing the security system that was built after the end of the Cold War”.