NATO chief urges Russia to revert suspension of New START nuclear treaty

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) - The NATO chief called on Russia to withdraw its decision to suspend the New START nuclear treaty.

"I'm calling on Russia today to reconsider its decision to suspend participation in the New START agreement," Jens Stoltenberg said at a joint news conference after he met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

He stated that more "nuclear weapons and fewer arms control make the world more dangerous" and stressed the importance of a rules-based world order.

Stoltenberg's remarks followed a speech by Russian President Vladimir Putin in which he announced that his country would no longer apply the treaty that aimes to control and reduce strategic nuclear weapons deployed by the US and Russia.

Stoltenberg also responded to Putin's accusation that the West provoked and escalated the war in Ukraine, saying: "Nobody is attacking Russia. Russia is the aggressor."

Borrell also rejected Putin's arguments, saying that under the UN Charter,it is perfectly legitimate to support the one who has been aggressed.

The treaty, signed in 2010 and extended in 2021 for another five years, the treaty aims to control and reduce the strategic nuclear forces deployed by the US and Russia.

- Support for Ukraine

Leaders from NATO, the EU and Ukraine met for the first time in this trilateral format, which Borrell described as "historic"

Stoltenberg reiterated his call to NATO allies to "maintain and strengthen military support to Ukraine."

Borrell also agreed that military production should be ramped up, but stressed that "we must use what we have."

He announced that he had sent a letter to all EU defense ministers on Monday urging them to "make deliveries under contracts already signed with the defense industry, giving priority to Ukraine" rather than replenishing their own stocks.

Stoltenberg also announced that they have agreed that NATO will assist Ukraine in creating an "effective, accountable and transparent procurement system" following the country's recent revelations of corruption in Ukrainian Defense Ministry purchases.