Russia to adhere to expired nuclear treaty limits if US does

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Russia will continue to abide by the limits set in the lapsed New START arms control treaty as long as the US does the same, with the belief that the US will respect these limits in the foreseeable future. The treaty’s expiration has raised concerns about a potential arms race, with the US rejecting an offer to extend the treaty and Russia expressing interest in a new agreement. China’s growing nuclear arsenal complicates negotiations, as Beijing refuses to join talks with the US and Russia. New START, signed in 2010, limited each side’s nuclear arsenal to 1,550 deployed strategic warheads and allowed for on-site inspections, which were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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