Putin's State of the Union Address: Russia withdraws from nuclear weapons treaty and threatens protracted war in Ukraine

Russia has suspended participation in the Treaty on Strategic Offensive Arms. This was stated by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 21 in a message to the Federal Assembly, reports "European truth".

Photo: IStock

“Russia is suspending its participation in the Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty. Washington is thinking about testing nuclear weapons. The United States is also developing new types of nuclear weapons. We must be prepared to test our nuclear weapons. Of course, we will not be the first to do this. But if the United States tests it, we will test it too,” Putin said.

In January, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the New START treaty - the Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty with the United States - could terminate after 2026.

Russian-American talks to resume inspections under the New START Treaty, which expires in February 2026, were canceled at the last minute in November 2022. Neither side agreed on a time frame for new talks.

It should be noted that the Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty, which was extended in 2021 for five years, remains the only arms control treaty between the Russian Federation and the United States.

On the subject: Russia Demarches US Ambassador Demands Withdrawal of 'US-NATO Military and Equipment' from Ukraine

Signed in 2010 for 10 years, START-3 limits the strategic launchers and nuclear warheads of the Russian Federation and the United States to 700 and 1550, respectively. The agreement can be extended for a period of 5 years in case of good will of each of the signatories.

The Trump administration was not in the mood to extend the treaty, but his successor Joe Biden agreed to extend New START.

What else did Putin say?

Putin also said in his message that in Ukraine "the West played with marked cards, and now it admits it without hesitation." He accuses the West of starting the war, and Russia is simply "using force to stop it," reports Meduza.

He once again stated that he “is not at war with the people of Ukraine,” and the Ukrainians seemed to have become hostages of the “Kyiv regime and its Western masters,” reports TSN. He also stressed that "the more long-range Western systems will come to Ukraine, the further we will be forced to move threats away from our borders."

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Putin also spoke about those who left Russia - “let it remain on their conscience.” The President of the Russian Federation promised to give all participants of the “SVO” leave - “14 days every six months” (that is, he is planning a protracted war). He also spoke about the creation of a state fund to help the families of the victims.

Putin said that Western sanctions did not affect the Russian economy. “Russia’s GDP decreased by 2,1%, and a year ago they predicted a collapse. We will take the economy to new levels, there are opportunities for a breakthrough,” he said. The President of the Russian Federation decided to reassure Russians that the Russian Federation does not seem to have the goal of developing the defense industry to the detriment of the economy. At the same time, he used the saying “guns instead of butter”, which belonged to Hitler’s comrade-in-arms Rudolf Hess.

“There is such a common expression: “Guns instead of butter.” The country’s defense, of course, is the most important priority, but when solving strategic problems in this area, we must not repeat the mistakes of the past, we must not destroy our own economy,” Putin said.

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“None of the ordinary citizens felt sorry for those who lost their capital, lost their yachts and palaces. I tell such people: there is no point in running around with your hand outstretched, be with your homeland,” Putin said.

He also said that the presidential elections will be held in 2024 "in accordance with the law." Gubernatorial elections and elections to regional legislative assemblies will also be held “in compliance with all democratic constitutional procedures” in September 2023.

From words to deeds: Putin canceled the decree that called for respect for the territorial integrity of Moldova

In addition to addressing parliamentarians, Putin also signed a decree repealing one of his “May decrees” of 2012, “On measures to implement the foreign policy of the Russian Federation.” The decision came into force on February 21, 2023. Meduza.

Formally, the new decree suspends Russia's participation in the Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty (START). But by his decision, Putin canceled many instructions that he gave to the Foreign Ministry and other Russian authorities in 2012.

As the media drew attention, the new decree cancels not only Russia's participation in START, but also other provisions of Russia's foreign policy, determined in 2012, here are just a few of them:

• Firmly uphold the fundamental principles of the UN Charter.
• Continue to actively seek ways to resolve the issue of Transnistria on the basis of respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and neutral status of Moldova.
• Actively promote the formation of partially recognized Abkhazia and South Ossetia as modern democratic states.
• In relations with the European Union, promote the creation of a single economic and human space from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, seek the abolition of visas for short-term trips, and develop a single European energy complex.
• In relations with the United States, maintain stable and predictable interaction based on the principles of equality, non-interference in internal affairs and respect for mutual interests.
• Deepen equal and trusting partnership and strategic cooperation with China, strategic partnership with India and Vietnam, and develop mutually beneficial cooperation with Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand;
• Develop relations with NATO in proportion to the readiness of the alliance to take into account the interests of the Russian Federation.

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