Russia unlikely to work with US on START expansion

Political scientist Timofeev: START will probably not be extended after the expiration dateRussia is unlikely to work with the United States to extend the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) after it expires, said in a comment RIA News political scientist Ivan Timofeev.Military parade dedicated to the 77th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic WarRussian President Vladimir Putin, during his message to the Federal Assembly, said that the Russian Federation was suspending its participation in the START treaty. The Head of State stressed that this was a suspension, not a withdrawal from the treaty.Timofeev noted that now this document continues to work, however, the validity period will expire soon. Moscow is unlikely to want to work with Washington to extend START. It probably won’t be extended. At the same time, Russia will not withdraw from the treaty as long as it is in force. However, it will be necessary to negotiate with the United States to extend it, and they probably will not.The political scientist believes that Russia may face the prospect of developing nuclear weapons among the countries of the so-called “nuclear five”.Moscow’s decision proved to be expected, as lately there has been a “gradual erosion of the arms control regime”, and START was in fact the only major treaty in this area, Timofeev concluded.The agreement between Russia and the United States on measures to reduce and further limit strategic offensive arms was first signed on April 8, 2010. It replaced the 1991 START treaty and later the treaty of 2002 on Strategic Offensive Reductions (SNOR).In early 2021, countries agreed to extend New START for another 5 years.Earlier, Vladimir Putin, during his address to the Federal Assembly, recalled the problems of Russia in the 90s of the last century. He also noted that at that time our country was watching Western states and trying to follow their example.