Putin suspends nuclear pact with US

[Independent voter]

*sigh* The world got just a little more dangerous today.






http://www.reuters.com/article/us-ru...-idUSKCN1230YN



Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday suspended a treaty with Washington on cleaning up weapons-grade plutonium, signaling he is willing to use nuclear disarmament as a new bargaining chip in disputes with the United States over Ukraine and Syria.

Starting in the last years of the Cold War, Russia and the United States signed a series of accords to reduce the size of their nuclear arsenals, agreements that have so far survived intact despite a souring of U.S.-Russian relations under Putin.

But on Monday, Putin issued a decree suspending an agreement, concluded in 2000, which bound the two sides to dispose of surplus plutonium originally intended for use in nuclear weapons.

The Kremlin said it was taking that action in response to unfriendly acts by Washington. It made the announcement shortly before Washington said it was suspending talks with Russia on trying to end the violence in Syria.

The plutonium accord is not the cornerstone of post-Cold War U.S.-Russia disarmament, and the practical implications from the suspension will be limited. But the suspension, and the linkage to disagreements on other issues, carries powerful symbolism.

"Putin's decree could signal that other nuclear disarmament cooperation deals between the United States and Russia are at risk of being undermined," Stratfor, a U.S.-based consultancy, said in a commentary.

"The decision is likely an attempt to convey to Washington the price of cutting off dialogue on Syria and other issues."

U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement on Monday that bilateral contacts with Moscow over Syria were being suspended. Kirby said Russia had failed to live up to its commitments under a ceasefire agreement.

Western diplomats say an end to the Syria talks leaves Moscow free to pursue its military operation in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but without a way to disentangle itself from a conflict which shows no sign of ending.

Russia and the United States are also at loggerheads over Ukraine. Washington, along with Europe, imposed sanctions on Russia after it annexed Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014 and backed pro-Moscow rebels in eastern Ukraine.

LIST OF GRIEVANCES

Putin submitted a draft law to parliament setting out under what conditions work under the plutonium accord could be resumed. Those conditions were a laundry list of Russian grievances towards the United States.

They included Washington lifting the sanctions imposed on Russia over Ukraine, paying compensation to Moscow for the sanctions, and reducing the U.S. military presence in NATO member state in eastern Europe to the levels they were 16 years ago.

Any of those steps would involve a complete U-turn in long-standing U.S. policy.

Russia demands U.S. end sanctions, pay compensation if plutonium accord to be resumed: draft law
"The Obama administration has done everything in its power to destroy the atmosphere of trust which could have encouraged cooperation," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement on the treaty's suspension.

"The step Russia has been forced to take is not intended to worsen relations with the United States. We want Washington to understand that you cannot, with one hand, introduce sanctions against us where it can be done fairly painlessly for the Americans, and with the other hand continue selective cooperation in areas where it suits them."

The 2010 agreement, signed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and then-U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, called on each side to dispose of 34 tonnes of plutonium by burning it in nuclear reactors.

Clinton said at the time that there was enough of the material to make almost 17,000 nuclear weapons. Both sides back then viewed the deal as a sign of increased cooperation between the two former Cold War adversaries.

Russian officials alleged on Monday that Washington had failed to honor its side of the agreement. The Kremlin decree stated that, despite the suspension, Russia's surplus weapons-grade plutonium would not be put to military use.

[GennGreymane]

And the saber continues to rattle

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@Skroe we need you

[chrisfover87]

I will see how the media can relate this to the US election and blame Trump for it.

[GennGreymane]

I will see how the media can relate this to the US election and blame Trump for it.

If trump is elected and Russia continues, trump will be seen as weak, same for Clinton.

[Deleted]

Well, you guys are welcome to join me in my wasteland villa, if you make it there.

[Shibito]

And the saber continues to rattle

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@Skroe we need you

Maybe Ulmita will find a way for us!

[Templar 331]

Russia playing the only diplomatic card it has.

"Do what we say or NUKES!!!"

[Deleted]

Boring.

This entire act by Russia is getting old. You can't hype yourself back in relevancy. It sure gives the media and the pundits something to talk about but that is the extent of it. We had this entire debacle when those rustbuckets flew past US destroyers this spring. It's so boring.

It's all gimmicks. Power and might cannot be built or sustained by them.

[Crispin]

Next up "we'll turn off gas, WINTER IS COMING!!1", not sure what he thinks this will accomplish, other than our military beeing even more focused on Russia.

[NED funded]

Gib respekt.

On a serious note Russians seem desperate IMO.

[PACOX]

Russia and the US play this game all the time.

[Mafic]

Putin. Checkmate.

US is led by a bunch of morons.

[Dezerte]

Yeah, suspending the nuclear pact is rather dangerous for the whole world. I hope that it's just sabre-rattling, still it is not a good move.

[Uzkin]

I wonder if the western leaders will soon realize that Putin was right about the sanctions war / threats being a counter-productive approach to solving mutual differences.

[Cerilis]

I wonder if the western leaders will soon realize that Putin was right about the sanctions war / threats being a counter-productive approach to solving mutual differences.

Yeah, we should just bend over and let him do what he wants, right?

[Nerevar]

Gib respekt.

On a serious note Russians seem desperate IMO.

Putin and his band political party is desperate. The Russians themselves (the people) are a different kind of desperate. Desperate for a new leadership and a change in political arena. Sadly the opposition is always either killed, imprisoned or they just disappear.

[Ausr]

I give it a least 5 more posts until Ulmita comes in here to pleasure himself to this.

[Nasukkin]

De-weaponizing Plutonium isn't even that big of a deal, whether or not it happens. There are other radioactive isotopes out there that aren't covered by this pact. For example, some time ago, leaked documents from Russia showed that Russia is at least dabbling with the idea of weaponizing Cobalt-60: basically, torpedos with dirty-bombs launched from subs that can neutralize coastal cities for generations.

[Shibito]

I miss Boris that alcoholic was what made russia great

[drivec]

who takes over Russia if Putin were to die?