ASSESSMENTS

Russia Threatens to Withdraw From Arms Treaties

Mar 14, 2014 | 09:07 GMT

Russia Threatens to Withdraw From New START
Then-Russian President Dmitri Medvedev (R) and U.S. President Barack Obama sign the New START agreement in Prague on April 8, 2010.

(Getty Images)

Summary

As Russia and the West continue to trade threats over the Ukraine crisis, the Russian Defense Ministry has raised the stakes by saying it is considering halting foreign inspections of its strategic nuclear arsenal. If it followed through on the threat, Moscow would be in clear violation of the New START arms control agreement. To this point, most of the threats or enacted measures over the Crimea standoff have centered on economic reprisal, not anything that could affect security. Russia certainly has concerns about New START and other weapons treaties with the West, but it has no intention of withdrawing and rekindling an arms race it may not be able to afford.

Moscow knows the potential consequences of breaking arms control treaties are too grave to be used for simple retaliation....

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