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The
ministry also warned that Washington's actions towards Russia
posed a "real risk" of a direct military clash between the two
nuclear powers, the RIA news agency reported.
"The demands of the United States to renew inspections at
Russian sites are clearly cynical," RIA quoted the ministry as
saying in a statement that also accused Washington of seeking to
inflict a "strategic defeat" on Russia in Ukraine.
New START caps the number of strategic nuclear warheads that the
United States and Russia can deploy, and the deployment of land-
and submarine-based missiles and bombers to deliver them.
The treaty came into force in 2011 and was extended in 2021 for
five more years. Talks between Moscow and Washington on resuming
inspections under the treaty were scheduled for last November
but were called off at the last moment.
Russia said last week it wanted to preserve New START, its last
remaining nuclear treaty with the United States, despite what it
called a destructive U.S. approach to arms control.
"The Russian side again confirms its unchanged adherence to the
New START treaty as an important instrument for maintianing
international security and stability," the ministry said in
Wednesday's statement.
Together, Russia and the United States account for about 90% of
the world's nuclear warheads.
The future of New START has taken on added importance at a time
when Russia's invasion of Ukraine has pushed the two countries
closer to direct confrontation than at any time in the past 60
years.
(Reporting by ReutersEditing by Gareth Jones)
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