US President Joe Biden seeks New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) extension with Russia

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Biden seeks New START extension​

Harry Lye
22 January 2021
(Last Updated January 22nd, 2021 15:50

President Joseph R. Biden Jr gives a speech after taking the oath of office. Image: US Army/ DVIDS.



US President Joe Biden is seeking a five-year extension to the New START treaty that governs Russia and the US’s nuclear arsenals. The future of the agreement had been in doubt during the Trump administration.
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US President Joe Biden is seeking a five-year extension to the New START treaty that governs Russia and the US’s nuclear arsenals. The future of the agreement had been in doubt during the Trump administration.

Under the plans, the proposed extension would see the treaty in force until 2026, something US Officials said would allow future arms control agreements to be explored.

Speaking to reporters, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said: “I can confirm that the United States intends to seek a five-year extension of New START, as the treaty permits."

“The president has long been clear that the New START Treaty is in the national security interests of the United States. And this extension makes even more sense when the relationship with Russia is adversarial, as it is at this time.”

New START is the only nuclear arms treaty regulating the US and Russia’s nuclear arsenals. Previously, the US had been a signatory to the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty until the Trump administration withdrew from the treaty citing Russian non-compliance.

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said: “President Biden’s decision to seek a five-year extension of New START advances the nation’s defence. Russia’s compliance with the treaty has served our national security interests well, and Americans are much safer with New START intact and extended."

“We cannot afford to lose New START’s intrusive inspection and notification tools. Failing to swiftly extend New START would weaken America’s understanding of Russia’s long-range nuclear forces.”

Kirby added that the Pentagon remained ‘clear-eyed’ about the challenges posed by Russia and is ‘committed to defending the nation against their reckless and adversarial actions.’

For its part, on the day of Biden’s inauguration, the Russian Foreign Ministry signalled it was open to an extension to New START and criticised the Trump administration for a ‘counterproductive and openly aggressive negotiating policy’ when it came to extending New START.

The Russian Foreign Ministry added: “We believe that the extension of New START for five years would create conditions for success in this sphere.”

In the run-up to the election, Biden signalled an aim to recommit the US to several arms control agreements including New START and the Iran Nuclear Deal.

 

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US, Russia agree to New START extension
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Harry Lye
5 February 2021
(Last Updated February 5th, 2021 09:23)

The US and Russia have agreed to extend the New START Treaty for five years just days before it was due to expire, safeguarding limits on the two countries’ nuclear arsenals until 2026.


An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during an operational test. Image: US Air Force.
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US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a statement the decision to extend the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) showed the US ‘took the first step toward making good’ on President Biden’s pledge to restore US leadership on ‘arms control and nonproliferation’.

New START limits all Russian nuclear warheads able to be mounted on an ICBM that could potentially reach the US in half an hour. The extension includes no amendments to the original treaty, meaning there will be no changes to inspection or enforcement procedures.

During the Trump Administration, the US withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty and the Open Skies agreement – leaving just one treaty governing the two power’s nuclear arsenals.

Blinken said: “Extending the New START Treaty ensures we have verifiable limits on Russian ICBMs [intercontinental ballistic missiles], SLBMs [submarine-launched ballistic missiles], and heavy bombers until February 5, 2026.

“The New START Treaty’s verification regime enables us to monitor Russian compliance with the treaty and provides us with greater insight into Russia’s nuclear posture, including through data exchanges and on-site inspections that allow US inspectors to have eyes on Russian nuclear forces and facilities.”

Blinken added that extending New START was ‘only the beginning’ of US efforts to address new challenges, saying the administration would use the five-year extension to pursue new arms control agreements with Russia.

Looking to China, Blinken said the US would also pursue an agreement with the country to ‘reduce the dangers from China’s modern and growing nuclear arsenal’.

NATO welcomed the extension in a statement, adding: “NATO allies believe the New START Treaty contributes to international stability, and Allies again express their strong support for its continued implementation and for early and active dialogue on ways to improve strategic stability.”

However, the alliance added that while the US ‘engages’ Russia to advance NATO’s collective interest, it ‘remains clear-eyed about the challenges Russia poses’.

The UK also praised the move, with British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab tweeting: “The UK welcomes the @POTUS [President Biden] decision to extend the New START treaty with Russia.

“We will continue to work closely with the US and our Allies to tackle new arms control challenges and bolster the existing arms control architecture that keeps our people safe.”

Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that a telephone call between President Biden and President Putin in late January was key to clearing the way for the treaty’s extension.

In a statement, the Ministry added: “In effect, this core mechanism for maintaining strategic stability is preserved and its further functioning assured on a strictly reciprocal basis, limiting the two countries’ nuclear arsenals.

“Considering the special responsibilities that Russia and the US carry as the world’s largest nuclear nations, the decision taken is important as it guarantees a necessary level of predictability and transparency in this area, while strictly maintaining a balance of interests.”

Russia said that it hoped the decision would ‘leave behind’ past years trend of the dismantling of arms controls treaties that is said was the result of ‘US destructive policies’.

The ministry added: “Significant steps would be required to return our bilateral dialogue in this area back to a more stable trajectory, reach new substantial results which would strengthen our national security and global strategic stability.”

On 29 January, Putin cleared the way for the extension signing a bill agreeing to keep the New START Treaty in force.

Blinken added: “Just as we engage the Russian Federation in ways that advance American interests, like seeking a five-year extension of New START and broader discussions to reduce the likelihood of crisis and conflict, we remain clear-eyed about the challenges that Russia poses to the United States and the world.

“Even as we work with Russia to advance US interests, so too will we work to hold Russia to account for adversarial actions as well as its human rights abuses, in close coordination with our allies and partners.”

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US and Russia agree to extend 'New START' nuclear arms treaty | DW News