Shoigu: Russia's Position on US Strategic Arms Reduction Agreement Remains Firm
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Synopsis
Russia's position on the US strategic arms reduction agreement remains steadfast as the expiration date approaches in February 2026. Sergei Shoigu emphasizes the need for a constructive dialogue on disarmament, while recent statements reveal the US's reluctance to engage seriously in discussions.
Key Takeaways
- Russia's stance on the arms reduction agreement with the US is unchanged.
- Shoigu highlights the complexity of nuclear agreements.
- Russia is open to multilateral disarmament discussions.
- There is a lack of serious dialogue from the US on nuclear disarmament.
- Trump proposes a tripartite summit with Russia and China.
Kuala Lumpur/Geneva Feb 27 (NationPress) Russia's stance regarding the agreement with the United States about reducing strategic offensive weapons, which is set to expire in February 2026, has not changed, stated Russian security chief Sergei Shoigu on Thursday.
"Any mechanism requires supervision and repair, or maintenance. In this case, this mechanism is so complex that it requires constant attention and care. Naturally, when they enter this mechanism with a crowbar and try to regulate it with inappropriate tools, this leads to failures. This issue relates, among other things, to security under the agreement on strategic nuclear forces, which will expire in a year. What next? Extend it, make a new one? There are many issues here that need to be resolved with the new US administration. Our position here is clear and understandable. We outlined it back under the previous Biden administration, which extended it for another five years. The five years expire in a year, so this is one of the problems," Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian Security Council, was quoted as saying by Russia's Tass news agency following a meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Meanwhile, in an interview with RIA Novosti during the 58th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin expressed Moscow's willingness to initiate dialogue on multilateral agreements related to disarmament and arms control.
"But, it requires very careful and full-time work. And most importantly, the constructive attitude of partners to each other on the basis of understanding the need for respect for each other in the interests of ensuring strategic stability," he cautioned.
Earlier, Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Gennady Gatilov, indicated that Washington is not prepared to resume substantive discussions with Russia about nuclear disarmament.
The Russia-US New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) will expire on February 5, 2026, and until recently, there have been no discussions regarding the future of dialogue on strategic weapons, as reported by Russian media.
However, US President Donald Trump has shown interest in organizing a tripartite summit involving Russia and China to address this issue. In a statement to the press at the White House, Trump remarked, "The meeting I want to have first is a meeting with China and a meeting with Russia on slowing down, stopping, and reducing nuclear weapons, in particular."
He further noted, "We already have so many. You could destroy the world 50 times over, 100 times over, and here we are building new nuclear weapons, and they're building nuclear weapons, and China's building nuclear weapons."
Trump additionally suggested that all three nations could cut their military expenditures by half. Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin backed this proposal and stated that both the US and Russia could reduce their defense budgets by 50 percent, with China able to join later if it wishes.
