Both countries were scheduled to meet in Cairo between November 29 and December 6.
Moscow has decided postpone the consultative meetings with the United States of the new START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) for Washington’s direct support for the Ukrainian Army. The spokeswoman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Sakharova, accused the United States of manipulating the new START nuclear agreement to to benefit, despite the fact that he reiterated that Russia is still committed to it. He pointed to the “toxicity” from Washington and added that the North American country “has a pathological desire to harm Russia in any way possible.”
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov confirmed the Russian decision in an interview with the state television channel RT: “Russia has decided postpone meeting already agreed upon, which had to be held in Cairo”. He justified that the country “cannot ignore the actions that the US is carrying out in Ukraine, it only does increase tension“. On Tuesday, Moscow announced that it was postponing the commission sine die, and this Wednesday the Kremlin explained its decision.
“(When Washington is ready) to discuss strategic securitywe will be ready,” said the same diplomat, who explained that it is unlikely that the New START commission will meet before the end of 2022. Initially, representatives of both countries were scheduled to meet in Cairo on November 29th to the 6th of December to make a new pact between nuclear powerswhich would aim reduce the number of atomic heads and limit the offensive strategic weapons.
“Good faith”
Laura Kennedy, a member of the board of directors of the Arms Control Association, responded in a statement that the Russian decision to postpone the meeting for later is “irresponsibleespecially at this time of heightened tensions when dialogue between the world’s two largest nuclear powers is paramount.”
In August, US President Joe Biden assured that he was willing to negotiate a new atomic weapons control framework with Russia, to replace New START in 2026 when it expires, although he asserted that this “requires a partner that operates in good faith“. The Russo-Ukrainian conflict has complicated the establishment of any agreement, pointed out the same US leader.