In recent headlines, Russia made the substantial announcement to suspend its engagement in the ‘New START’, the sole remaining significant military agreement with the United States. This article explores the background and implications of this suspension.
About New START: A Brief Background
The ‘START’ acronym originates from the ‘Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty’, commonly referred to as START-I. Initiated in 1991 and enforced in 1994, START-I was a treaty signed between the United States and the then USSR. It established caps on the number of nuclear warheads and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) each side could deploy at 6,000 and 1,600 respectively.
However, START-I lapsed in 2009. Its replacement came first in the form of the SORT, also known as the Treaty of Moscow, and subsequently, the ‘New START’ treaty.
The New START Treaty
The New START treaty, officially called ‘Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms’, entered enforcement on February 5, 2011. The agreement placed verifiable new limits on intercontinental-range nuclear weapons.
By February 2018, both countries had to meet the treaty’s core limits regarding strategic offensive arms and maintain these limits for the duration of the treaty. Subsequently, the US and Russia Federation agreed to extend the treaty through February 2026.
The Implications of the Suspension of the New START
The suspension of the New START carries substantial implications. Primarily, monitoring compliance by the US may become more difficult. Russia has already suspended mutual inspections of nuclear weapon sites and participation in a bilateral consultative commission. Therefore, if Putin decided to halt routine reporting and data exchange on nuclear weapon movements and other related developments, this would deal a heavy blow.
This move is viewed largely as “symbolic”. The speculation is that Russia announced the suspension to pressure the US into discussing an end to the war. This strategy would enable Russia to dictate the terms of such a conclusion.
UPSC Civil Services Examination Questions Related to the New START Treaty
A prior question from the UPSC Civil Services Examination about the New START treaty was: What is this treaty? The correct answer is that it is a bilateral strategic nuclear arms reduction treaty between the USA and the Russian Federation.
In summary, the New START treaty is an integral part of US-Russia military agreements, and Russia’s decision to suspend its participation symbolizes high-stakes maneuvering in international diplomacy.
