MOSCOW, September 22. /TASS/. The Russian stock market slowed its decline during the main trading session, according to trading data. This trend was noted in the wake of Russian President Vladimir Putin's statement at a meeting with permanent members of the Security Council that Russia is prepared to adhere to the central restrictions of the New Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty (New START) for one year after its expiration in February 2026.
As of 2:40 p.m. Moscow time, before the President's announcement, the MOEX Index was down 1.33%, to 2,711.64 points, while the RTS Index also lost 1.33%, falling to 1,021.92 points. By 2:54 p.m. Moscow time, the MOEX index slowed its decline and was at 2,734.32 points (-0.5%), the RTS index was at 1,030.47 points (-0.5%).
The MOEX index then fell by 0.66% to 2,730.01 points, while the RTS index also lost 0.66%, falling to 1,028.84 points, according to trading data as of 03:05 p.m. Moscow time.
About New START
The Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (the New START Treaty) was signed by Russia and the United States in 2010. On February 21, 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced his decision to suspend Russia’s participation in New START without withdrawing from it. The President stressed that, before discussing resuming any work under the treaty, Moscow must understand for itself how New START would factor in the nuclear arsenals not only of the United States, but also those of other nuclear powers in NATO, such as the UK and France. On February 28, 2023, Putin signed a law suspending Russia’s participation in the New START Treaty.
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.
In February 2021, Moscow and Washington extended the treaty which the Russian government characterized as the gold standard in the disarmament sphere, for a five-year period, until 2026.