Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers his annual state of the nation address at the Gostiny Dvor conference centre in central Moscow on February 21, 2023. (Photo by MIKHAIL METZEL/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images)
OAN Deven Berryhill UPDATED 1:05 PM PT – Tuesday, February 21, 2023
On Monday, U.S. President Joe Biden met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a surprise visit to Kyiv. The following day, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that the Kremlin would be partially suspending the New START nuclear arms treaty.
Following a meeting with President Biden, Zelensky said in an interview with the German newspaper Die Welt, “I do see an opportunity for China to make a pragmatic assessment of what is happening here. If China aligns itself with Russia, there will be a world war and I do think that China is aware of that.” The Ukrainian president continued that “I would like [China] to be on our side. At the moment, however, I don’t think it’s possible… [Its] important [that] China does not support Russia in the war.”
JUST IN – Ukraine’s Zelenskyy: “If China allies itself with Russia, there will be a world war.” — WELT
In what appeared to be a tactical response to Biden’s visit, Putin announced in a 100-minute speech on Tuesday that his government was not completely pulling out of the 2011 nuclear treaty. Putin added that his government would restart nuclear testing and bring Russia’s nuclear system to “combat duty” status as well as no longer allowing the U.S. to inspect its nuclear arsenal.
What Putin announced today was 🇷🇺 suspending the mutual inspection arrangement of the START Treaty, but that has effectively been the case since the start of the pandemic. But it seems 🇷🇺 will continue to adhere to the agreed limits on strategic nuclear systems.
These statements by Putin were considered by some to be an indication that the days of formal arms control are dying. The New START Treaty was initiated in 2011 limiting the U.S. & Russia from stockpiling more than 1,500 nuclear warheads and 700 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM’s)
Putin suspended participation in the New Start Treaty (nuclear treaty with the USA).
Putin stated that Russia will not act first… (Russia isn’t backing down from conflict in Ukraine) pic.twitter.com/7hdxFY7nBy
In response to Putin’s announcement, the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken commented that the suspension of the Start Treaty was “deeply unfortunate and irresponsible”
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