Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Gennady Gatilov, said the New START treaty was not extended because of Washington's position on preserving US nuclear capability. Speaking to Sputnik, the envoy presented the issue as a political choice by the United States rather than a procedural breakdown.
New START is the strategic arms reduction agreement associated with limits and oversight for the two countries' nuclear forces. Gatilov's remarks place the focus on deterrence policy, arguing that the US wanted to retain what he described as a breakaway nuclear capability.
The comments highlight the deep divide between Moscow and Washington over nuclear arms control at a time when strategic stability remains a major international concern. Discussion around New START has long been tied to wider tensions over security policy, military posture and the future of bilateral arms agreements.
Based on the trimmed report, no US response or further detail was included alongside Gatilov's statement. Even so, the claim adds to the broader dispute over who is responsible for the failure to keep the New START framework in place.
