Putin Suspends New START Treaty, Raising Concerns of a New Arms Race Between the U.S. and Russia

In a move that has raised tensions between the United States and Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared Tuesday that Moscow was suspending its participation in the New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms control pact with the United States. Putin made the announcement during his annual state of the nation address, and also stated that Russia should stand ready to resume nuclear weapons tests if the U.S. does so.

In response to Putin’s announcement, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg expressed regret and urged Russia to reconsider its decision. Stoltenberg also pledged support for Ukraine, saying, “With today’s decision on New START, the whole arms control architecture has been dismantled.”

U.S. President Joe Biden also weighed in on the situation, saying that Putin cannot threaten the use of tactical nuclear weapons with impunity. Biden made the remarks while in Warsaw, Poland, where a sign reading “Mr. Biden, send F-16 to Ukraine” was raised outside the hotel where the president was staying.

The New START treaty, which was signed in 2010, was designed to limit the number of strategic nuclear warheads and delivery vehicles held by the United States and Russia. It was set to expire in 2021, but both countries had agreed to extend it until 2026. It is unclear how Putin’s announcement will affect the treaty’s future.

The move has raised concerns among world leaders, who fear that the suspension of the New START treaty could lead to a new arms race between the United States and Russia. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop in the coming weeks and months.