“Talks on nuclear arms controls postponed without reason”: US accuses Russia

The Biden administration blames Russia for postponing meetings to discuss a key nuclear arms control deal between the two countries that was due to begin in Egypt on Tuesday. A State Department spokesman said the decision was made “unilaterally” by the Kremlin. “The Russian side has informed the United States that it will propose new dates,” reports the source from Washington. The meetings on the New START Treaty – the only remaining agreement regulating the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals, signed by the two parties (at the time represented by Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama) in Prague on April 8, 2010 – were to be held on in the wake of Moscow’s nuclear threat against Ukraine and following complications related to treaty-related inspections.

The Russian Foreign Ministry told state media RIA Novosti that the talks had been postponed, but did not give a reason. The United States “is ready to reschedule as soon as possible as the resumption of inspections is a priority to support the treaty as an instrument of stability”. The New START Treaty puts limits on the number of intercontinental-range nuclear weapons that both the United States and Russia can have: Washington and Moscow can conduct mutual inspections of sensitive sites, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, these had been interrupted .

“It is very unusual, as well as a pity, that the Russians have postponed this meeting which they have indicated they are interested in having,” he said. said at the Cnn Daryl Kimball, executive director of the US-based Arms Control Association. “President Biden has been very clear about his commitment to negotiations to maintain the arms control framework beyond the START deadline in 2026. And we remain committed to that goal,” he added. RIA Novosti Elizabeth Rood, the top US diplomat in Moscow.