What?
Russia has unilaterally suspended the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty with the U.S. known as the New START treaty, which was signed in 2010. Putin has stated that the West is trying to destroy Russia, and Moscow ought to stand ready to resume nuclear weapons tests if the US does.
Where?
The treaty concerns the US and Russia, who together hold 90% of the world’s nuclear arsenal.
When?
The New START treaty came into force in February 2011 and was extended for five years when current US President Joe Biden took office in 2021.
Why?
Putin argued that while the US had pushed for the resumption of inspections of Russian nuclear facilities under the treaty, NATO allies were helping Ukraine mount drone attacks on Russian air bases hosting nuclear-capable strategic bombers. Before any return could be made to negotiations, Putin said that the nuclear weapons of Britain and France were part of NATO’s nuclear capability but weren’t included in the US-Russian pact.
How?
Under the Treaty, America and Russia cannot deploy more than 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads and more than 700 long-range missiles and bombers. It also limits each country to 800 deployed and non-deployed launchers and delivery vehicles. Additionally, it allows each side to carry out up to 18 short-notice (32 hours) on-site inspections of strategic nuclear weapons sites annually to ensure that the other country had not crossed the limits of the treaty.
