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Russia’s New START suspension

New START has chance to be reinstated as it was, but that’s up to US — senior diplomat

Sergey Ryabkov said that if the situation continues to develop along the current lines and "the anti-Russian focus remains in place," then it will be hard to imagine that Moscow will return to compliance with the treaty

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov Russian Foreign Ministry/TASS

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov

© Russian Foreign Ministry/TASS

MOSCOW, February 22. /TASS/. The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty has chances to be reinstated as it was, but that depends on how the US will act regarding Russia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said at a joint meeting of Federation Council’s committee on international affairs and its committee on defense and security on Wednesday.

"There are chances that the New START will be reinstated as it was, but that completely and utterly depends on US behavior, its comprehension, or the failure to comprehend, that the policy it conducts toward Russia is malignant," he said.

The deputy minister said that if the situation continues to develop along the current lines and "the anti-Russian focus remains in place," then it will be hard to imagine that Moscow will return to compliance with the treaty. An exception will be made for compliance with the pact’s key provisions, Ryabkov said.

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin in a address to the Federal Assembly said that Russia would suspend its participation in the New START, but wouldn’t withdraw from it. The head of state said that before returning to the discussion of compliance with the treaty, Russia should understand how the arsenals of not only the United States, but also other NATO nuclear powers - the UK and France - will be accounted for by the treaty. The State Duma on Wednesday unanimously adopted a law on the suspension of Russia's participation in the New START.

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