Despite boasting about the strength of the Russian economy in resisting sanctions and the now-familiar chatter about how NATO allegedly started a war in Ukraine, and the West (a sewer of depravity, where pedophilia is “proclaimed the norm”) seeks “unlimited domination”, Vladimir Putin is still.

In a speech on February 21, just before the anniversary of the Russian invasion, he announced that Moscow was suspending participation in the Strategic Arms Reduction and Limitation Treaty (START III), the only remaining arms control treaty between the two nuclear-armed states.. The Economist writes about this, recalling that the document entered into force in 2011, and then was extended in February 2021, two days before its expiration..

Joe Biden has made maintaining START III a foreign policy priority, winning Putin's support for an extension of the treaty just six days after he became US president. This contrasts strongly with the previous administration. Donald Trump showed no interest in arms control. This meant that in the next five years, both sides should not have more than 1550 nuclear warheads.. In addition, the treaty also provided for restrictions on the issue of “carriers”: ground-based ballistic missiles, ballistic missiles launched from submarines and heavy bombers. Even though both sides have enough firepower left to destroy civilized life on earth, the treaty has reduced the number of warheads by 75% since the end of the Cold War..

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The Economist notes that it is not so much the numbers that are important in the contract, but the prescribed measures of verification and transparency.. Both parties are required to conduct at least 18 on-site inspections, share a wide range of data to prevent the introduction of new systems that could undermine the principles of the agreement.. 328 inspections were carried out from 2011 to 2020. They were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.. Even when relations between the signatories were strained, the weapons inspectors quietly and diligently did their job, making the world a little safer..

When the START III treaty was extended in 2021, the Russian side showed satisfaction. The Russian Foreign Ministry, noting the importance of maintaining strategic stability, stated: " At that time, both sides showed a willingness to start discussions on the next treaty..

Now Putin's announcement, while supposed to be dramatic, has actually only confirmed what is already happening.. Inspections should have recovered from the pandemic last year, despite the Russian war against Ukraine. Amid rising unrest in Washington, a meeting was scheduled for November to try to restart the inspection regime..

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But Russia backed down before anything else could be discussed.. Putin claims NATO is allegedly waging a proxy war to destroy his country. Therefore, it would be absurd to expect that START III can function normally.

“Given the Russian president’s penchant for nuclear bragging, his actions are hardly surprising.. Russia can now go even further and violate the agreement's limit on the number of warheads and delivery vehicles. But it will also be an act of self-harm. Ineffective Russian forces need more shells, conventional missiles and armored vehicles. The last thing the Kremlin wants is to engage in another destabilizing nuclear arms race with America, with all the risks of miscalculation that it entails, that it cannot afford.. Putin (and Republicans who criticize the START III treaty) either forget or don't understand that arms control treaties are concluded not with friends, but with enemies..