Putin explained to the Russian parliament the strategic goals of his government in the international arena. Author: Reuters
MOSCOW, 21 February. — Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Tuesday that his country was suspending its participation in the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, known as START-3, but insisted that it would not be abandoned, while reaffirming the West’s responsibility for what was happening. around Ukraine and confirmed that Russia “defends its home” and that “it will solve the tasks set step by step, carefully and consistently.”
The Russian President’s annual speech before both houses of the Federal Assembly – Parliament – took place a few days before the first year of his country’s military operation in Ukraine, a period that Putin called “difficult and decisive for Russia, at a time of dramatic change throughout the world.”
The decision to suspend its participation in START-3 was considered by NATO Secretary General Jens
Stoltenberg as the dismantling of the entire arms control architecture, as he said at a press conference, during which he regretted the decision.
START-3 or the Treaty on the Reduction of Strategic Offensive Arms was signed by Russia and the United States in Prague in April 2010 and extended without preconditions for five years in February 2021, RT recalled, and by virtue of this, the parties pledged to reduce their nuclear forces. up to 700 carriers, 1550 nuclear warheads and 800 launchers.
Explaining the decision, Putin recalled in his speech NATO’s demand in February this year to return to the implementation of the treaty, including the admission of inspections of Russian nuclear and defense facilities, which he called “the theater of the absurd.”
“Before we return to the discussion of this issue, we need to understand what the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance, such as France and the United Kingdom, are claiming, and how we are going to take into account their strategic arsenals, that is, the overall attacking potential,” he stressed.
According to the Russian president, the West denies the connection of the START issue with the conflict in Ukraine, as well as other hostile actions against Russia. But, at the same time, no one hides that they want to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia, said the President, whose words are quoted by Telesur.
“They want to inflict a strategic defeat on us and get to our nuclear facilities,” he said.
Putin argued that by issuing the collective statement, NATO was effectively asking to join the START treaty. “We agree with this (…). After all, NATO has more than one nuclear power, the United States, Great Britain and France also have nuclear arsenals. They improve and develop. And they are also directed against us, they are also directed against Russia.”
The Russian President also condemned Western involvement in Ukraine’s attempts to attack Russian strategic air bases and revealed that “the drones used for this purpose were equipped and upgraded with the help of NATO specialists” who, in addition, “now want to inspect our defense facilities.”
In this context, Putin confirmed that Washington is thinking about testing nuclear weapons and developing new types of nuclear weapons. According to him, Russia is ready to test nuclear weapons, but not the first.
As for Ukraine, the Russian President confirmed that the decision taken a year ago to conduct a special military operation is aimed at “protecting the population of our historical lands, ensuring the security of our country and eliminating the threat from the regime.” Neo-Nazi.
Putin also warned that the West intends to turn the Ukrainian conflict into a global confrontation. “We understand and will respond accordingly,” he said, assuring that “it is impossible to defeat Russia on the battlefield.”
Source: Juventud Rebelde