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Russia will ensure its security if New START ceases to exist, Lavrov says

It is too early to discuss Russia’s steps in case New START ceases to exist, the Russian foreign minister noted

MOSCOW, July 10. /TASS/. Russia is interested in maintaining New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), however, it will ensure its security if the treaty is not prolonged, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday during an online session of the Primakov Readings international forum, dubbed "Russia and the world after COVID-19."

"We know and we are confident that we will be able to ensure our long-term security even if there is no treaty," he said, adding that it is too early to discuss Russia’s steps in case New START ceases to exist.

"However, we are ready for any turn of events, this is true, and if the treaty is not prolonged, there are many options. I can assure you that our general aim would be to continue strategic dialogue with the USA, as well as the dialogue on new arms control means in the context of all factors affecting strategic stability," the minister stressed. Lavrov stated that Russia would not convince the USA to prolong the treaty. "If they categorically decline, we won’t try to convince them. <…> We need this treaty to be prolonged to the same extent as the Americans. Right now, they see our calls to prolong it for five or some number of years without preconditions as some sort of game," the foreign minister noted.

However, the minister added that Russia is ready to discuss the control over new types of weapons not falling under New START. "We are ready to begin a discussion about the types of weapons that are not "classic" under New START. Naturally, this will be within the discussion of all issues affecting strategic stability in some way or form," he said, adding that Russia’s motivation is to "lower the threat to global stability and security."

The Russian-US New START treaty took effect in 2011. Under its terms, either party shall reduce its strategic offensive arms in such a way that by the end of a seven-year period following the moment the treaty takes effect, it should have no more than 700 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched missiles and heavy bombers, 1,550 warheads for them and 800 deployed and non-deployed ICBM and SLBM (submarine launched ballistic missiles) launchers and heavy bombers.

The treaty shall stay in effect for ten years (up to 2021) unless it is replaced by another agreement by that moment, or it can be prolonged for no more than five years (until 2026) by mutual consent. Lately, Moscow repeatedly urged Washington to avoid delays in prolonging that treaty, which it described as a gold standard in the field of disarmament.