Russia baffled by Biden’s proposal to replace the nuclear weapons treaty

US President Joe Biden delivers remarks at the White House in Washington, US, July 28, 2022. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) – A Russian Foreign Ministry source on Monday expressed dissatisfaction with a proposal by US President Joe Biden to negotiate a new framework for nuclear arms control to replace the New START treaty when it expires in 2026.

Biden said in a statement on Monday that his administration was ready to negotiate “urgently” a new framework, but that Russia must demonstrate its willingness to resume work on nuclear arms control with the United States.

“Is this a serious statement or has the White House website been hacked?” A source at the Russian Foreign Ministry told Reuters. “If this is still a serious intention, with whom do they intend to discuss the matter exactly?”

The New START treaty, concluded in 2011, committed the United States and Russia to limit the deployment of ICBMs, deploy submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and deploy heavy bombers equipped with nuclear weapons.

It also places limits on nuclear warheads on those missiles and the launchers and launchers of those missiles. The two sides reached the central boundary of the treaty by February 5, 2018, and the treaty was extended until the end of February 4, 2026.

Editing by Guy Faulconbridge

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