Japan welcomes 5-year extension of US-Russia nuclear cap treaty

Xinhua

A ground-based intercontinental ballistic missile is launched from the Plesetsk facility during a drill in northwestern Russia, December 9, 2020. (Photo: AP)

TOKYO, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- Japan called the five-year extension of the US-Russia treaty capping their nuclear arsenals "important progress in nuclear disarmament."

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi made the remarks in a statement.

On Wednesday, the United States and Russia said the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty had been extended for five years through 2026.

The treaty is the last of its kind capping both countries' nuclear arsenals.

US, Russia extend their only remaining nuclear arms treaty for 5 years: Photo taken on Jan. 20, 2021 shows the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)Washington (People’s Daily) – The United States has extended a key nuclear arms control treaty with Russia for five years, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Wednesday.Blinken said in a statement that especially during times of tension, verifiable limits on Russia’s intercontinental-range nuclear weapons are vitally important. “Extending the New START Treaty makes the US, US allies and partners, and the world safer. An unconstrained nuclear competition would endanger us all,”said the new top US diplomat.Blinken said that the US is committed to effective arms control that enhances stability, transparency and predictability while reducing the risk of costly, dangerous arms races.Moscow also announced on Wednesday the extension of the New START nuclear arms reduction agreement with the US, praising the deal as a step in the right direction for international stability.The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the treaty was formally signed without any amendments or additions, in effect preserving the arms control accord as it currently exists until February 5, 2026.Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill extending the arms control agreement, after negotiations with US President Joe Biden resulted in a five-year extension of the accord. The treaty was at risk of expiring after the previous US administration under Donald Trump had refused to prolong it without preconditions that were deemed unacceptable to Moscow.Implemented in 2011, the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (known as New START) limits the number of nuclear warheads, and their delivery vehicles, that the US and Russia are allowed to possess. The agreement is considered the only remaining arms control agreement between the two nuclear powers.The New START Treaty limits both US and Russia to deploying 1,550 nuclear warheads over 700 delivery systems, incl...

US extends nuclear arms control treaty with Russia for five years

US extends nuclear arms control treaty with Russia for five years: Photo taken on Jan. 20, 2021 shows the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)WASHINGTON, Feb. 3 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Wednesday extended the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with Russia for five years, said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken."Extending the New START Treaty ensures we have verifiable limits on Russian ICBMs, SLBMs, and heavy bombers until February 5, 2026," said Blinken, adding that the extension "makes the United States, U.S. allies and partners, and the world safer.""Especially during times of tension, verifiable limits on Russias intercontinental-range nuclear weapons are vitally important," he said.Blinken noted that Washington would use the five-year extension period to seek arms control with Moscow that addresses all of the Russian nuclear weapons.The New START, which limits the numbers of deployed strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550 and delivery systems to 700 for each, is the last remaining nuclear arms control pact in force between the two nuclear superpowers.The treaty can be extended by a maximum of five years with the consent of the two countries.The former Trump administration tried to conclude a shorter extension of the treaty last year after rounds of negotiation with Russia, but the two sides failed to finalize a formal agreement.Immediately after taking office, President Joe Biden proposed a full five-year extension of the treaty that expires on Feb. 5, a move welcomed by the Kremlin.Russian President Vladimir Putin last Friday signed a bill into law ratifying a five-year extension of the New START with the United States.The extension of the New START might be a bright spot for the U.S.-Russia relations, but the overall tensions between Washington and Moscow are unlikely to decrease given their differences on issues of human rights, Ukraine, cybersecurity as well as their mutual accusation of interference in the domestic politics...

US welcome to return to the fold: US President Joe Biden delivers his speech after being sworn-in as the 46th President of the United States during his inauguration on the West Front of the US Capitol in Washington, US, Jan 20, 2021.Both houses of Russia's Parliament ratified the New START nuclear arms control treaty with the United

WORLD Japan welcomes 5-year extension of US-Russia nuclear cap treaty

Japan welcomes 5-year extension of US-Russia nuclear cap treaty

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