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Russia to remain compliant with New START to maintain strategic stability — MFA

Sergey Ryabkov pointed out that Moscow had decided to suspend the treaty for two key reasons, including Washington’s disregard for its obligations and its ongoing policy of confrontation with Russia

MOSCOW, February 22. /TASS/. Moscow will remain compliant with the key quantitative restrictions under the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) and the ballistic missile launch notification agreement, which is enough to maintain strategic stability at this point, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told reporters on Wednesday.

"Russia will remain compliant with the key quantitative restrictions under the treaty. This is what the Russian Foreign Ministry announced yesterday. We will also comply with the 1988 Russian-US agreement on mutual notifications of ballistic missile launches. At this point, we believe that this is enough to ensure predictability and maintain strategic stability," he noted.

"Everything else will depend entirely on the United States, the decisions that it makes and the policy that it pursues," the senior Russian diplomat added.

Ryabkov pointed out that Moscow had decided to suspend the treaty for two key reasons, including Washington’s disregard for its obligations and its ongoing policy of confrontation with Russia. "We explained the reasons behind the decision. Those reasons were clarified in detail as they concern a wide range of issues, starting from Washington’s long-term neglect of its essential obligations. Another, still more important aspect of the issue is related to Washington’s extremely escalatory policy towards Russia. What is happening in Ukraine points to Washington’s increasing involvement as a party to the conflict. We are straightforward and frank with the Americans about that, this is what the ambassador was told yesterday. The two components of the issue made it impossible for us to continue participating in the treaty as usual," the Russian deputy foreign minister concluded.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in his State of the Nation Address to the Federal Assembly on Tuesday that Russia was suspending its participation in the New START treaty but was not withdrawing from it. The head of state emphasized that before resuming discussions of further activities under the treaty, Russia needed to figure out for itself how the arsenals of NATO’s other nuclear-weapons countries, the UK and France, would be taken into account along with US capacities.