Nuclear inspections had already been suspended.
Russian President Vladimir Putin told his people that he is suspending all Russian participation in New START, the only remaining nuclear arms control treaty with the United States. During a speech marking the one-year anniversary of the offensive against Ukraine, he listed grievances against the U.S. and its allies, stating, “In this regard, I am forced to state that Russia is suspending its participation in the strategic offensive arms treaty.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken responded, “The announcement by Russia that it’s suspending participation in New START is deeply unfortunate and irresponsible. We’ll be watching carefully to see what Russia actually does. We’ll of course make sure that in any event we are postured appropriately for the security of our own country and that of our allies.”
Andrey Baklitskiy, a senior researcher in the weapons of mass destruction and other strategic weapons program at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, said, “This is a big deal; suspension of the treaty is not equal to withdrawal but in reality, it could become really close over time.”
President Putin, in his nearly two-hour speech, said the treaty and the war in Ukraine could not be kept separate, citing “other hostile actions of the west against our country.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For President Biden and his administration to seek God’s guidance in responding to President Putin.
- For Secretary of State Blinken to look to the Lord for wisdom as he heads diplomatic efforts with adversarial nations.
- For wisdom for U.S. officials as tensions with Russia increase.
Sources: Washington Examiner, BBC, The Guardian
