The US and Russia, countries with the largest nuclear stockpiles, have reached an agreement to considerably reduce their atomic weapons, in a landmark deal that could “reset” relations between the cold war rivals. The agreement has been reached between US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Demetry Medvedev and will be signed by the two leaders in Prague on April 08th, the White House announced on Friday.
“In a phone call this morning, President Obama and President Medvedev agreed to meet in Prague, the Czech republic, on Thursday, April 08th, to sign the treaty between the United States of America and the Russian federation on measures to further reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms (the ‘new Start treaty’),” White House said. This landmark agreement advances the security of both nations, and reaffirms American and Russian leadership on behalf of nuclear security and global non-proliferation. “This was the 14th direct meeting or phone call between the presidents addressing new Start, and represents their shared commitment to ‘reset’ US-Russia relations so that we cooperate substantively and effectively on issues of mutual interest along many dimensions,” it said.
The new treaty will contain limits on US and Russian nuclear forces significantly below the levels established by the Start treaty signed in 1991, and the Moscow treaty signed in 2002. The new Start treaty will specify limits of 1,550 deployed warheads, which is about 30 per cent lower than the upper warhead limit of the Moscow treaty; 800 deployed and non-deployed Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) launchers, Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) launchers, and heavy bombers equipped for nuclear weapons; and 700 for deployed ICBMs, SLBMs, and heavy bombers equipped for nuclear weapons. White House said the treaty’s verification regime will provide the ability to monitor all aspects related to it.