US (Washington Insider Magazine) – The Biden administration has accused Russia of jeopardizing the New START nuclear treaty by refusing to resume on-site inspections, a critical component of U.S.-Russian arms control agreements.
Suspended Inspections Threaten Treaty Viability
On Tuesday, the State Department reported to Congress that Russia’s continued suspension of treaty-mandated inspections is undermining efforts to control nuclear arms. This follows previous optimism that both nations could maintain arms control cooperation despite escalating tensions over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Inspections under New START were halted in March 2020 due to COVID-19. While discussions resumed briefly in 2021, Russia unilaterally withdrew from the treaty’s inspection provisions in August 2022, citing U.S. military support for Ukraine as a reason for its decision.
Russia Blames U.S. Sanctions
Moscow has claimed that U.S. sanctions imposed after the Ukraine invasion have disrupted the treaty’s conditions, alleging that the U.S. is obstructing Russian inspections of American military sites. However, the State Department denied these claims, asserting that the U.S. is upholding its treaty obligations.
Global Security Concerns
The administration emphasized that maintaining nuclear arms control agreements is crucial for international stability. The State Department warned that Russia’s actions “threaten the viability of U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control” and called for the immediate resumption of inspections and diplomatic discussions.
As geopolitical tensions continue to rise, experts fear that the breakdown of New START could lead to a new arms race, further destabilizing global security.
