SOCHI, December 5. /TASS/. Russia is ready to extend the New START Treaty by the end of the year without any preconditions, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting on defense issues.
"Let me reiterate Russia’s stance. Russia is ready to extend the New START Treaty without delay, as soon as possible, before the end of this year without any preconditions. I say that formally to ensure that there is no double or triple interpretation of our stance," Putin said.
The head of state recalled that the treaty would expire soon. "All our proposals regarding the extension the New START Treaty are on the table. We have so far received no response from our partners," Putin said.
New START Treaty
The Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (the New START Treaty) was signed in 2010 and entered into force on February 5, 2011.
The document stipulates that seven years after its entry into effect each party should have no more than a total of 700 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) and strategic bombers, as well as no more than 1,550 warheads on deployed ICBMs, deployed SLBMs and strategic bombers, and a total of 800 deployed and non-deployed ICBM launchers, SLBM launchers and strategic bombers.
The New START Treaty obliges the parties to exchange information on the number of warheads and carriers twice a year.
The New START Treaty will remain in force for 10 years until February 5, 2021, unless superseded by a subsequent agreement. It may be extended for a period of no more than five years (that is, until 2026) upon the parties’ mutual consent.
Moscow has repeatedly called on Washington not to delay the issue of the Treaty’s possible prolongation.