Russia Ready to Maintain START Treaty Restrictions For One More Year - Putin
12:09 GMT 22.09.2025 (Updated: 13:11 GMT 22.09.2025)
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - A complete rejection of the legacy of the New START (New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) would be a mistake, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday.
"The New START Treaty expires on February 5, 2026, which means the imminent disappearance of the last international agreement on direct limitations on nuclear missile capabilities. A complete rejection of the legacy of this agreement would be, from many perspectives, a mistaken and short-sighted step," Putin said during a meeting with the permanent members of the Russian Security Council.
A complete abandonment of the treaty would also negatively impact the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the president added.
🚨🚨BREAKING: Russia ready to maintain START Treaty restrictions for one more year, until February 5, 2027 - Putin https://t.co/plg0Qy6KGL pic.twitter.com/vJahW6n5qn
— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) September 22, 2025
Russia's START Treaty initiative could contribute to creating an atmosphere for substantive dialogue with the United States in the field of strategic stability, Putin said.
"I believe that the implementation of the Russian initiative could make a significant contribution to creating an atmosphere conducive to a substantive strategic dialogue with the United States. Naturally, when creating conditions for its full-scale resumption and taking into account the entire range of efforts to normalize bilateral relations," the head of state said.
Russia's ideas in the field of strategic security have not received a clear response, Putin added.
Russia will decide on the subsequent maintenance of annual voluntary self-restrictions on the START Treaty based on an analysis of the situation, Putin added.
Russia believes that steps to comply with the restrictions under the New START (New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) will be effective if the United States reciprocates, Vladimir Putin said.
"This measure [compliance with the restrictions in accordance with the New START] will become viable only on the condition that the United States acts in a similar manner and does not take steps that undermine or violate the existing balance of deterrent potentials," Putin said during a meeting with the permanent members of the Russian Security Council, adding that Russia is not interested in fueling arms race.
Additionally, Putin instructed relevant public bodies to monitor US activities related to the strategic offensive arms arsenal, as well as to pay special attention to monitoring plans to build up strategic components in the US missile defense system.
The practical implementation of the deployment of US missile defense system components in space could undermine Russia's efforts to maintain the status quo, Vladimir Putin said.
"We will proceed from the premise that the practical implementation of such destabilizing actions could nullify our country's efforts to maintain the status quo in the sphere of the New START Treaty," Putin said during a meeting with permanent members of the Russian Security Council.
Russia is ready to continue to adhere to restrictions in accordance with the New START (New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) for one year after the agreement expires on February 5, 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"Russia is prepared to continue to adhere to the central quantitative restrictions under the New START Treaty for one year after February 5, 2026," Putin told the permanent members of the Russian Security Council.
