The US Congress opposed the extension of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START, unofficial name – START-3) with Russia. The corresponding statement was published on the website of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Republican congressmen Michael McCall and Mike Rogers, who head the House Foreign and Armed Services Committees, spoke out against. They criticized the administration of the new US President Joe Biden for the decision to extend START with Russia for five years.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin submitted an agreement to the State Duma to extend the missile treaty with the United States. At a meeting on Wednesday, the agreement introduced by the Russian leader was unanimously approved. The document provides for the extension of the START Treaty until February 5, 2026.
The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty was signed in 2010 by the presidents of Russia and the United States – Dmitry Medvedev and Barack Obama. The agreement came into force in 2011 and expires in February 2021.