A mobile launch pad for the Topol-M nuclear-capable ICBM
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dpa
According to the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed the extension of the "New Start" agreement with the USA.
The government of the new US President Joe Biden has also spoken out in favor of a five-year extension of the nuclear disarmament treaty, which would normally expire on February 5.
The issue of disarmament has been difficult between the two nuclear powers in recent years.
Most recently, both countries withdrew from the "Open Skies 2" agreement.
Under Biden, who was sworn in on January 20th, there are now signs of a turning point.
The Russian House of Commons approved the extension of the agreement with the United States on Wednesday.
The "New Start" treaty is the last nuclear disarmament agreement between the USA and Russia.
Trump administration wanted to include China
The New Start Agreement, which came into force on February 5, 2011, limits the nuclear arsenals of Russia and the United States to 800 carrier systems and 1,550 operational nuclear warheads each.
It was initially closed for a period of ten years.
The government of Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump, had recently been unable to agree on an extension with Moscow in tough months of negotiations.
According to the US media, the sticking point of the talks was the "freezing" of the number of all nuclear warheads in both countries.
The US had insisted.
The current treaty only sets a limit on the number of operational nuclear warheads.
In addition, the previous US government had sought a multilateral agreement with China's participation.
Beijing has so far refused to negotiate its growing nuclear arsenal.
Immediately after Biden was sworn in, the Russian Foreign Ministry finally proposed extending the contract by five years without any preconditions.
Before that, Russian President Putin had only offered a one-year extension.
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