Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Monday that there are still no dates set for talks between the US and Russia on the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty between the two powers, known as New START.
The US and Russia were set to meet on the treaty in November, but Russia postponed the talks, citing US military support for Ukraine. The two sides were engaged in more broad nuclear arms control talks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but they were canceled by the US.
Ryabkov said the conditions are not right for New START talks due to recent escalations by the US. “The present situation is discouraging for setting a new date, especially considering this escalation trend both in the US actions and rhetoric,” he said, according to the Russian news agency TASS.
New START limits the deployment of missiles, warheads, and bombers and includes an inspection regime. The inspections have been suspended since March 2020 due to Covid-19, and any future negotiations on the treaty are expected to focus on resuming them.
One of President Biden’s first foreign policy moves in January 2021 was a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to extend New START, and now the treaty is set to expire in 2026. Since Biden and Putin agreed on the extension, the US and Russia have made no progress on arms control, and there’s no sign they will be negotiating a replacement for New START anytime soon.
The failure to hold New START talks reflects the overall lack of diplomacy between the US and Russia since the war started. While there have been some high-level talks, the US State Department has essentially abandoned diplomacy with Moscow. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has only held one known call with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, and they focused on a prisoner swap, not the war in Ukraine.
“The failure to hold New START talks reflects the overall lack of diplomacy between the US and Russia since the war started.” — what diplomacy was going on BEFORE the war started? Nada, nil, rien, etc.
What’s the point of signing a treaty with the US anyways? We literally just tear up centuries old treaties when it longer benefits us or just feel like it. Seven decade One China policy? Trash can. All the US-Soviet treaties designed to prevent nuclear war? Garbage. NAFTA? Trash. Iran deal? Incinerator pile. Negotiating with America is *actually* pointless as the next hawk that come along with just tear everything up.
To late for a START. Focus on a new FINISH.
Before diplomacy fails it can become a mask in preparation for war. When the mask slips war is very close.
https://patternofhistory.wordpress.com/
“Russia Says Still No Date Set on New START Talks With US The
US and Russia were set to discuss the treaty in November, but Russia
postponed the talks citing US military support for Ukraine”
After the admission of the West that the Minsk One and Minsk Two agreements were a scam to buy time to arm Ukraine; does anyone think that Russia or any other country will trust America again to negotiate a treaty?
Diplomacy is dead and America murdered it. Perhaps the US Department of State should change it’s name to the War Department!
https://www.armstrongeconomics.com/markets-by-sector/energy/the-good-news-nuclear-weapons-will-save-the-planet/
The Good News: Nuclear Weapons Will Save the Planet.
I can find no reason for the Russians to cooperate on New Start. First, the bellicose foreign policy of the globe’s self-appointed cop, and second the established fact that the US does not keep its treaty commitments, as evidenced by withdrawals in 2002 (ABM), 2018 (INF), 2018 (JCPOA).
Why should anyone rely on promises from the globe’s self-appointed cop?