Lean – conscious
US Deputy National Security Adviser John Viner announced that Washington is ready to raise the combat readiness of its nuclear forces if Moscow refuses to comply with the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START).
“We are prepared to take additional steps to improve our combat readiness if Russia continues what it has described as a violation of the START Treaty,” Viner said during a speech at the Carnegie Endowment.
At the same time, Viner pointed out that “the next US administration will have the opportunity to negotiate with Moscow before the end of the START Treaty in February 2026,” noting that “new measures have been taken by the United States to reduce risks and increase efficiency in the nuclear sector.”
On his behalf, Andrei Kartapolov, Chairman of the Defense Committee of the Russian State Duma, emphasized that “Russia is ready to develop relations and continue dialogue with the United States in accordance with the START Treaty, but on terms acceptable to both parties.”
It is worth mentioning that the Strategic Treaty for the Reduction of Offensive Arms (START-3), signed in 2010, is supposed to expire in 2026.
On February 21, 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia was suspending the treaty without withdrawing from it permanently.
Source: Agencies