Biden aims to hold nuclear arms control talks with Russia and China.

The Biden Administration’s Plan to Engage with Russia and China on Nuclear Arms Control

For the first time in history, the United States is facing two near-peer nuclear powers, Russia and China. However, Russia has walked away from the New START treaty, which limits the number of nuclear weapons it or the U.S. can have, and China has not yet come to the table for substantive dialogue on arms control.

“Unlike Russia, who is threatening to walk away from the negotiating table, from the arms control agreements our countries have relied upon for years, the PRC has thus far opted not to come to the table for substantive dialogue on arms control.”

The Administration’s Stance

National security adviser Jake Sullivan recently laid out the administration’s stance on how to reengage and convince Chinese and Russian leaders at the 2023 Arms Control Association annual meeting. Sullivan’s pitch is that it’s in everyone’s best interest to compartmentalize nuclear safety and communication and be competitors in various other fields to ensure there is no miscommunication between nuclear powers.

• Update deterrence capabilities and plans
• Advance new arms control and risk reduction measures

“These are two sides of the same proverbial nuclear coin. Responsibly enhancing our deterrent capabilities allows us to negotiate arms control from a position of strength and confidence, and new arms control helps limit and shape our adversaries’ decisions on nuclear capabilities,” Sullivan explained.

The New START Treaty

The New START treaty was the only agreement left regulating the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals, but Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he was suspending his country’s participation in it on Feb. 21. The treaty was initially signed in 2010 and was extended just days before its expiration in February 2021 for another five years.

Russia’s willingness to adhere to the treaty’s central limits, despite pulling out, shows “a potential willingness to nuclear arms control talks with Russia and China.”>continue limiting strategic nuclear forces through 2026,” Sullivan said, but that cannot yet be said for the Chinese.

“By 2035, the PRC is on track to have as many as 1,500 nuclear warheads, one of the largest peacetime nuclear buildups in history,” Sullivan added.

The U.S.’s Plan

The U.S. is willing to pursue these negotiations without “preconditions,” Sullivan added, explaining that it “does not mean without accountability. We’ll still hold nuclear powers accountable for reckless behavior, and it will still hold our adversaries and competitors responsible for upholding nuclear agreements.”

Sullivan also said the U.S. is seeing “increasing nuclear threats from [North Korea] and Iran.”

The Biden administration’s plan to engage with Russia and China on nuclear arms control is crucial for global safety and security. It’s important for all parties to come to the table and work towards a safer future for everyone.

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