Russia Says Formal Note to U.S. on Suspension of Implementation of New START Treaty

　　Chinanews.com, March 2. According to the Russian Satellite Network report, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov said that on February 28, Russia handed over to the United States an official note regarding Moscow's suspension of implementation of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.

　　According to reports, Ryabkov said: "On February 28, we forwarded a formal note to the United States, which confirmed that (Russia) suspended the implementation of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, but its core provisions, namely, the restriction of related systems The Russian side will continue to abide by the quantitative terms."

　　Ryabkov pointed out that Moscow is willing to discuss any issue of their interest with the United States, but this will not affect the status quo of the New START Treaty.

　　On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in his State of the Nation address to both houses of parliament in Moscow that Russia would suspend its implementation of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty signed with the United States.

The Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) and the Russian Federation Council (upper house of parliament) unanimously passed a bill on Russia's suspension of the treaty "New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty" on the 22nd.

　　On the 28th, Putin signed a law on Russia's suspension of implementation of the "New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty".

According to the relevant documents published on the Russian legal information website on the same day, the law will come into effect on the date of its official announcement. Russia will suspend the implementation of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. When it will resume implementation will be decided by the Russian president.

　　The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty was signed by Russia and the United States in 2010 and entered into force on February 5, 2011, valid for 10 years.

On February 3, 2021, Russia and the United States exchanged diplomatic notes and completed the relevant internal procedures of the agreement to extend the validity period of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which will take effect immediately.

The treaty was subsequently extended until February 5, 2026.

After the Russian-US "Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty" expired in 2019, this treaty became the only arms control treaty between the two countries.