Russia has approved extending the last nuclear arms agreement with the US for another five years on Wednesday — just days before the pact was due to expire.
Both Russian houses of parliament — the State Duma and Federation Council — OK’d the extension of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty that was signed in 2010 and limits the numbers of nuclear warheads, missiles and bombers that Russia and the US can deploy.
The vote came after the first telephone call between President Biden and Russian leader Vladimir Putin during which they agreed on extending the treaty that would have expired on Feb. 5.
“The essence of the agreement is to extend it for five years, as it was signed, without any changes,” Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told the Duma.
Rybakov said Washington and Moscow should engage in a discussion over strategic stability.
Putin still needs to sign the legislation.
In a virtual address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Putin called the treaty extension “a step in the right direction.”
White House press secretary Jen Psaki noted the two leaders spoke on Tuesday and discussed START, as well as the SolarWinds hack and the detention of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.
“He called him, called President Putin this afternoon with the intention of discussing our willingness to extend the new START for five years. And also to reaffirm our strong support for Ukraine sovereignty in the face of Russia’s ongoing aggression, and also to raise matters of concern, including the SolarWinds hack, reports of Russia placing bounties on United States soldiers in Afghanistan, interference in the 2020 election, the poisoning of Alexei Navalny, and treatment of peaceful protesters by Russian security forces,” Psaki said.
“His intention was also to make clear that the United States will act firmly in defense of our national interests in response to malign actions by Russia,” she said.
With Post wires