Putin Introduces Bill to Renew Nuclear Treaty With US

By Staff, Agencies

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin submitted a bill to the lower house State Duma on Tuesday to extend a US-Russia nuclear agreement by five years.

Putin spoke earlier in the day with US counterpart Joe Biden, agreeing “in principle” to continue with the New START [Strategic Arms Reduction Talks] pact struck in 2010. The deal limits the number of nuclear warheads deployed by Moscow and Washington to 1,550.

“On January 26, 2021, Russia and the United States reached an agreement on the extension of the treaty,” a note attached to the bill said.

“In the nearest days, the parties will complete the necessary procedures that will ensure further functioning of this important international legal nuclear arms control tool,” the Kremlin said.

Lawmaker Leonid Slutsky told state-run RIA Novosti news agency that the house could begin debating the bill by Wednesday.

The White House said after the talks that the sides agreed "to have their teams work urgently to complete the extension by February 5.”