A SENIOR Russian diplomat claimed today that the United States was showing “complete indifference” to the dismantling of the New Start nuclear arms reduction treaty.

The 2010 treaty limits the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads for Russia and the US to 1,550.

The treaty is due to expire on February 5 and there have been no discussions about its renewal.

In February 2023 Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the suspension of Russian participation in the treaty and said the US and Nato would no longer be allowed to inspect its nuclear facilities.

The Russian president claimed the US was continuing to develop and test new nuclear weapons. He warned that any nuclear weapons tests conducted by the US would be met by the same actions from the Russians.

President Putin also complained that French and British nuclear weapons are not covered by the treaty.

Last September the Russian president told a meeting of his security council that Moscow was ready to maintain compliance with the quantitative restrictions set out in the treaty for another year after the treaty expires in February. But the offer was on condition that Washington did the same.

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said he was calling on the US to “consider the possibility of taking a more sensible and responsible path.”

He told the Tass news agency that the international community is likely to sharply criticise the US for its “foreign policy and military-political selfishness” regarding the dismantling of New Start.

Mr Ryabkov said the proposal to extend the treaty has been met with “complete indifference” by the US.

“From this, we conclude the treaty is not needed by the US. Just as limitations in this sphere are not needed.

“I believe this is a manifestation of the foreign policy and military-political selfishness very characteristic of today’s Washington.”

But, he said there was still time as the treaty “has not yet expired.”