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Russian and American diplomats exchanged notes on the entry into force of the agreement, which extends the Treaty on the Reduction of Strategic Offensive Arms, RIA Novosti reports. The Russian Foreign Ministry announced the entry into force of the document. The agreement will be in effect without changes and additions, in the form in which it was signed, for the next five years.
In January, the leaders of the two countries, Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden, discussed the issue of extending the agreement in a telephone conversation. After that, the Russian president signed the corresponding law, which was then approved by the State Duma and the Federation Council.
The Foreign Ministry stressed that they are ready to cooperate with Washington on strengthening global strategic stability. At the same time, they noted that “significant efforts will be required” to establish a sustainable dialogue in this area, and Russia is ready for such work.
The head of the State Duma Committee on Education and Science, Chairman of the Board of the Russkiy Mir Foundation, Vyacheslav Nikonov, speaking in the lower house of parliament, said that the extension of the START Treaty would preserve strategic stability in the world, avoid an arms race and open up a wide range of opportunities for further agreements between Moscow and Washington on armaments.
START mandates the reduction of the nuclear arsenals of the two countries. In total, they cannot exceed 700 intercontinental ballistic missiles, ballistic missiles in submarines and heavy bombers, as well as 1,550 warheads and 800 deployed and undeployed launchers.
Russkiy Mir
