Moscow [Russia], September 23: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday proposed that Russia and the United States each commit for one more year to the central limits of their last remaining nuclear arms control pact, the New START treaty, which is set to expire on February 5, 2026.
In order to avoid a further arms race in strategic nuclear weapons and to ensure global security, Putin said he believes it is right to maintain the status quo established by New START.
He said Moscow would adhere to the treaty's "quantitative limitations" for a year after it expires in 2026, provided Washington does the same.
The 2010 New START agreement limits each side to 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads and places caps on the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles and their launchers, with provisions for mutual inspections.
It built on the original START accord signed by Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev and US president George HW Bush. (DPA)
Source: Qatar Tribune
