The US State Department said that it would not provide Russia with part of the information provided for by the START treaty. We are talking about the exchange of "comprehensive databases" twice a year. As emphasized in the department, the measure is designed to push the Russian Federation to return to the implementation of the agreement.

"We proposed to continue the mutual implementation of this obligation. Unfortunately, Russia has notified the United States that it will not carry out this data exchange due to the announced suspension of its participation in the treaty, "said State Department Deputy Chairman Vedant Patel. As a result, additional retaliatory measures will follow to encourage Russia to return to compliance with the treaty. The United States will also not transfer updated data to Russia, as it was provided for by the exchanges held twice a year. "

As Patel explained, this allowed for a "verifiable exchange of data and information," which, according to the representative of the State Department, is a "key aspect" of the START treaty.

"In the START-III treaty there is such an important aspect as verifiability (compliance with the conditions. — RT), and we continue to offer mutual compliance with this obligation," he said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry called Washington's refusal to provide Moscow with part of the information provided for in the START treaty a malicious failure to comply with the treaty, since Washington did not officially suspend participation in it, and therefore is obliged to "fully comply with its provisions."

"That is, the failure to transfer certain data to us expands the list of violations of the treaty by Washington, which (the list) has long contained very serious elements ... That is, the Americans maliciously do not fulfill the treaty, while in accordance with the practice convenient for them they are trying to shift responsibility to the other side, "said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov in an interview with RIA Novosti.

At the same time, Moscow's position on compliance with the START Treaty will remain unchanged regardless of whether the United States continues to transfer notifications to the Russian Federation under the treaty or not, Ryabkov said.

  • Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov
  • RIA Novosti
  • © Mikhail Voskresensky

"We have voluntarily committed ourselves to adhere to the central quantitative limits established by this treaty. All. Our position does not depend on whether the Americans will transfer their data to us or not. It remains unchanged, which the American side has already been told several times - and very clearly, "the diplomat emphasized, urging Washington to "correct its sad track record of continuing violations of the START Treaty."

"The Height of Hypocrisy and Cynicism"

Recall that at the end of February, Moscow suspended the agreement on measures to reduce and limit START. As Russian leader Vladimir Putin explained, the Russian Federation is not satisfied that Moscow is being given an ultimatum to fulfill the agreements unquestioningly, but at the same time the United States believes that it can behave "as it pleases." In addition, he commented on statements that "there is no connection between the start problem" and the conflict in Ukraine, as well as "other hostile actions of the West" against the Russian Federation and "loud statements" that Western countries want to inflict a "strategic defeat" on Russia.

"This is either the height of hypocrisy and cynicism, or the height of stupidity. But you can't call them idiots - they are not stupid people after all. They want to inflict a strategic defeat on us - and they are climbing on our nuclear facilities, "Putin emphasized.

As noted, in turn, by The Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov, the United States has been violating the provisions of the START Treaty on quantitative restrictions for many years. In particular, the United States declares the launchers of SLBMs and heavy bombers incapable of carrying out nuclear tasks, removing them from the offset of the START Treaty, Antonov said. According to him, Russia's decision to suspend participation in the treaty was "the only correct one in the current circumstances," but Moscow continues to comply with the quantitative restrictions provided for by the treaty. At the same time, the ambassador noted that without Washington's revision of its aggressive anti-Russian policy, the resumption of the full functioning of the agreement is impossible.

In early March, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, during talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the G20 summit, called on Moscow to cancel the decision to suspend participation in the START Treaty.

Later, the State Department said that the decision of the Russian side to suspend the START Treaty is allegedly "legally invalid." They also noted that this step will not stop the United States from "continuing to fully support Ukraine."

As Lavrov stressed on March 28, the arguments of the American authorities against Russia's decision to suspend the START Treaty are "legally null and void." According to him, Moscow quite clearly explained that the United States "undermined the fundamental principles on which the treaty is based and which are set forth in the preamble."

"The policy of ultimatums does not work"

As the head of the Center for Military-Political Studies of the Institute of the USA and Canada of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vladimir Batyuk noted, it was the destructive steps of the United States to violate START III and the situation around Ukraine, as well as within the framework of "other anti-Russian cases" that led to the fact that Russia was forced to suspend the treaty.

"All this caused serious concern on the Russian side. But, apparently, the behavior of the United States during the Ukrainian conflict (including massive arms supplies to Kiev, the training of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the coordination of assistance from other NATO countries) served as a trigger and forced Moscow to make a final decision on the suspension of the START Treaty, "Batyuk said in an interview with RT.

At the same time, the United States, now refusing to provide part of the data of the Russian Federation within the framework of this treaty, continues its line on the destruction of START-III, says Konstantin Blokhin, a researcher at the Center for Security Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

  • Launch of the Minuteman 3 ICBM
  • AP
  • © Brittany E.N. Murphy

"This is an indicator that the Americans are not very interested in preserving the START Treaty. The actions of the United States indicate that they are not particularly concerned about the current situation. The justification for his step in the form of a desire to call on Russia to implement the treaty looks, to put it mildly, unconvincing. Moreover, Moscow has repeatedly stressed that the policy of ultimatums does not work with it. It cannot be ruled out that in Washington they have already decided to bury the START Treaty, "Blokhin said in a comment to RT.

As the analyst added, it is possible that the new US president, who may be a Republican, will refuse to conclude the START-IV agreement or withdraw from START-III ahead of its end.

"There is neither trust nor transparency between the United States and Russia at this stage. Moreover, the relations between the parties are deteriorating more and more. In such circumstances, it would be naïve to believe that not only Washington, but also Moscow will agree to conclude such an agreement. After all, it is possible to resume cooperation in the field of strategic arms only on the basis of mutual interest," Blokhin explained.

At the same time, the Russian side still believes that START-III meets global security interests, the expert recalled.

"Without this treaty, obviously, there will be an uncontrolled arms race, without any rules of the game. And this awaits not only the United States, Russia, but the whole world. The losers will be primarily international stability," Blokhin said.

Batyuk adheres to a similar position. According to him, the situation with START-III "has an extremely detrimental effect" on the world security system.

"Even partial implementation of the only remaining agreement on the control of strategic nuclear weapons hangs in the balance. And this is a very alarming signal. Washington, by its actions to violate the treaty, dealt a severe blow to what remained of the nuclear arms control mechanism. The world can be left without any international legal instruments governing the relationship between the two nuclear superpowers. The time when START III will finally lose its force is steadily approaching. At the same time, no negotiations are underway to develop a new agreement on strategic arms. And this is an extremely serious challenge to international security," the expert said.

Analysts agree that, despite significant difficulties in contact, in the event of normalization of relations between the United States and Russia, the signing of a new START treaty cannot be ruled out.

"Still, we should not dismiss the option in which the United States will come to its senses and want to maintain the viability of the START Treaty. Such a scenario will have a better chance if the chair of the head of the White House after the presidential elections in 2024 is occupied by a Democrat, since the Democratic Party has a softer position on this issue, "Blokhin said.

Batyuk, for his part, notes that even if such negotiations begin, one should not count on a quick and easy process of concluding a new treaty in the field of strategic arms.

"In order for another agreement to replace the previous one, the parties must jointly develop a new document. It will take time. And this will not be an easy task, including due to the fact that new weapons systems are emerging, which will have to be taken into account, "the expert concluded.