New START: Clarification on Russia's Proposed Ratification Law Needed

On January 14, the Russian Duma conducted a second reading of its proposed law for ratification of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) on nuclear arms control with the United States. The Russian law, if adopted as currently written, is incompatible with the U.S. understanding of the treaty. This should bar the exchange of the instruments of ratification for New START and its entry into force.

These opposing understandings relate to at least two topic areas covered by the treaty’s preamble, body, and ratification documents: (1) restrictions on missile defense deployments; and (2) conventionally armed strategic offensive arms (called Prompt Global Strike weapons on the U.S. side).

Click here for the full article.