US rebuffs Russian demand linking nuclear pact with Ukraine support

The United States will not pull back its support for Ukraine in response to Russia suspending its participation in a key nuclear arms treaty, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Wednesday. 

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov reportedly said earlier in the day that Russia’s return to the New START nuclear control treaty depended on U.S. support for Ukraine. 

“Until the United States changes its behavior, until we see signs of common sense in what they are doing in relation to Ukraine … we see no chance for the decision to suspend New START to be reviewed or re-examined,” Reuters reported, citing Interfax. 

Price rejected Moscow’s demand at a press briefing, noting that the U.S. and Russia have exchanged diplomatic communications since Russia suspended its participation in the treaty last month. 

“Russia’s willingness to promote instability and use irresponsible nuclear rhetoric endangers every nation on this planet. Russia’s purported suspension of new START will, at the same time, not stop the United States from continuing to support Ukraine,” Price said.

He added that the diplomatic note provided by Russia “did not tell us anything we didn’t already know from the public statements that have emanated from Moscow.” 

Russia on Wednesday reportedly delivered formal notification to the U.S. of its position suspending its participation in the New START treaty. That followed an announcement by Russian President Vladimir Putin late last month, during an address marking one year since Moscow began its invasion. 

Russia had earlier boycotted previously scheduled meetings with U.S. officials related to the New START agreement — in December 2022 and last month — saying they could not meet with American representatives while they are supporting Ukraine. 

The New START treaty, which is set to expire in 2026, is a key agreement that limits the number of strategic nuclear warheads each country holds and allows insight into each other’s nuclear stockpiles to promote safety and stability. Onsite inspections were suspended because of the pandemic, but they have failed to resume over Russian refusals to engage. 

U.S. officials condemned Putin’s announcement as unfortunate and irresponsible, but they added that it was unclear how Moscow would behave under terms of a suspension. 

Ryabkov reportedly said Monday that the U.S. and Russia held confidential talks in recent days and that Moscow would remain open to such communication in the future. 

“We will communicate and exchange information when necessary,” Ryabkov said, according to The Associated Press, citing Russian media.