Putin: Russia Prepared to Respond to Any Strategic Threat
President Vladimir Putin told the Russian Security Council that Russia is ready to respond to strategic threats with force while signaling continued adherence to the New START for one year
Russia, PUREWILAYAH.COM - Speaking at a meeting of the Security Council, Putin said that the overall situation in the field of strategic stability “continues to deteriorate.”
He attributed this trend to a number of negative factors that have “provoked the aggravation of existing strategic risks and the emergence of new ones.”
The president accused the West of destructive actions that have “significantly undermined the foundation of constructive relations and practical cooperation between nuclear powers.”
According to him, nearly all agreements between Russia and the United States on nuclear and strategic defensive weapons “have been almost entirely dismantled.”
Putin said such actions are aimed at “undermining global parity” and securing “absolute, overwhelming superiority.” He emphasized that Russia still “prefers and prioritizes political and diplomatic methods of maintaining international peace based on the principles of equal rights, indivisible security, and mutual respect for interests.”
Russia Ready for Strategic Threats
The Russian leader stressed that the country is prepared to respond to any strategic threats “not with words but with military and technological measures.” He stated that Moscow is confident in the “reliability and effectiveness” of its deterrent forces.
At the same time, Putin underlined that Russia “is not interested in further escalating tensions or fueling an arms race.”
Future of the New START Treaty
Putin also addressed the expiration of the New START Treaty, scheduled for 2026. He warned that the treaty’s end would mark the loss of the last agreement placing direct restrictions on missile capabilities.
“A complete rejection of the legacy of this agreement would be, in many respects, a misguided and short-sighted step, which, in our opinion, would also have a negative impact on the objectives of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,” Putin said.
He noted that Russia seeks to preserve the status quo established by the New START Treaty “to avoid provoking a further strategic arms race and to ensure an appropriate level of predictability and restraint.”
However, he made clear that Russia’s continued adherence to the treaty’s limits will depend on whether “the United States does the same and makes no moves that undermine or violate the existing balance of deterrent capabilities.”
After the treaty’s expiration, Putin stated, Russia is ready to continue “adhering to the core quantitative restrictions” for one year. (PW)