Russian, USA sanction New START nuclear arms treaty extension for 5 years

Russia and the United States have decided to extend the New START nuclear arms control treaty on Moscow's terms, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Wednesday.

According to the RIA news agency, Russian President Vladimir Putin submitted to the State Duma a bill on the ratification of the extension agreement. The document stipulates a five-year renewal period – until Feb. 5, 2026.

"On our terms: for five years without preconditions, without any additions," Ryabkov told reporters.

Shortly after announcement Russian lawmakers quickly approved the extension of the last remaining nuclear Russia-U.S. arms control. Both houses of parliament voted unanimously to extend the New START treaty for five years, a day after a phone call between U.S. President Joe Biden and Putin.

The Kremlin said they agreed to complete the necessary extension procedures in the next few days. The pact’s extension doesn’t require congressional approval in the U.S., but Russian lawmakers must ratify the move and Putin has to sign the relevant bill into law.

The treaty, signed in 2010 by President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, limits each country to no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers, and envisages sweeping on-site inspections to verify compliance.