Introduction
Recently, the Russian President announced the suspension of the NEW START Treaty, raising concerns of the beginning of the arms race.
An agreement to limit nuclear weapons was struck by the US and Russia on April 8, 2010, and it went into effect on February 5, 2011. Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty is the acronym for "New START." The old START I Treaty, which had ended in December 2009, was replaced by this one.
The New START Treaty places a cap on the number of nuclear warheads that may be deployed at 1,550 as well as the number of missiles and bombers that can be used as delivery systems at 700 for each side. Additionally, it contains a thorough verification and monitoring system that enables both parties to keep track on one another's nuclear arsenals and guarantee treaty observance.
The New START Treaty's major objective is to lessen the likelihood of nuclear conflict between the US and Russia, which still have the greatest nuclear arsenals in the world. The treaty contributes to the development of trust and confidence between the two nations by limiting the number of deployed nuclear weapons and upholding transparency in each other's nuclear activity.
Originally set to expire on February 5, 2021, the New START Treaty was instead extended by the United States and Russia for a further five years, until 2026, in January 2021.
Key Features
The New START Treaty contains a number of crucial components that are intended to lower the possibility of nuclear conflict between the United States and Russia and to foster mutual confidence and transparency over their nuclear arsenals. The following are the treaty's primary components:
Limits on deployed nuclear weapons: The pact places restrictions on the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), heavy bombers equipped for nuclear weaponry, and deployed strategic nuclear warheads that each side may possess.
Verification and monitoring: To ensure that the treaty's terms are being followed, the treaty established a strong verification and monitoring framework. This regime includes data exchanges, on-site inspections, and other actions.