US moves strong on New START with Russia

In one of his first key policy initiatives, President Joe Biden will prioritise the extension of the New START with Russia to reduce stockpiles of strategic weapons which expires in two weeks, writes senior journalist Sanjib Kr Baruah

New Delhi: In a robust indication of a shifting of the Don Trump regime key policy on Russia in particular and disarmament in general, President Joe Biden’s broad stand is that the extension of the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) is in the offing.

This will be among his first key policy decisions as the 46th US President after he assumed office on January 20.

The arms reduction treaty was set to expire on February 5, 2021. It is believed that the Trump regime was not planning to extend New START in its present form and was keen to rein in China into the treaty.

On Friday, the War Department underlined the stand. John Kirby, the chief spokesman of the Pentagon, stated: “President Biden’s decision to seek a five-year extension of New START advances the nation's defence. Russia's compliance with the treaty has served our national security interests well, and Americans are much safer with New START intact and extended. We cannot afford to lose New START’s intrusive inspection and notification tools. Failing to swiftly extend New START would weaken America’s understanding of Russia’s long-range nuclear forces.”

Effectively, the ceiling on the stockpiles of strategic nuclear weapons would be extended until 2026 even as the number of strategic nuclear missile launchers is halved.

But there were words of caution too. “Just as we engage Russia in ways that advance American interests, we in the Department will remain clear-eyed about the challenges Russia poses and committed to defending the nation against their reckless and adversarial actions,” Kirby added.

The “reckless and adversarial actions” would suitably imply probes into the allegations of Russian interference in the US elections, suspected Russian cyber offensive on the Solar Winds case, alleged poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny and a few other cases.

On Wednesday, a Russian foreign ministry statement sought a “constructive” approach from the Biden administration even as it accused the Trump regime of “deliberately and intentionally” dismantling international arms control agreements.

“We expect that the new US administration will take a more constructive approach in its dialogue with us,” the ministry statement had said.