Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized on the 27th (local time) that the extension of the US-Russian nuclear control treaty, the’New Strategic Arms Reduction Agreement’ (New Start) is the correct move.
According to the TASS news agency, President Putin said in a video speech on the Davos Forum that the US-Russia agreement to extend the news start the day before was “definitely a step in the right direction”.
The U.S. and Russian diplomatic authorities exchanged diplomatic notes on the previous day, extending the New Start Treaty by five years until February 5, 2026.
Russia’s Senate and House of Representatives approved an extended ratification plan for Newsstart submitted by President Putin on that day.
The treaty is expected to enter into force soon after Russian domestic proceedings are finalized.
Nevertheless, Putin pointed out, “Overall, the confrontation on the international arena is intensifying in a spiral manner.”
It was a warning that a large-scale armed conflict could occur without efforts to resolve the situation of disputes between countries or camps through dialogue and negotiation.
“Of course, we expect such a global armed conflict at this time to be impossible in principle, and the occurrence of such a conflict would mean the end of civilization,” Putin said. And can be deployed in a way that is beyond our control.”
He also pointed out that “a game without rules, such as the use of trade barriers, illegal sanctions, and restrictions in the fields of finance, technology, and information, absolutely increases the risk of unilateral use of force, which is dangerous.”
It is interpreted as warning that trade disputes and unilateral sanctions led by Western countries such as the US could lead to actual war.
(Yonhap News/Photo = Getty Image Korea)