START Treaty: US Cuts Some Data Sharing with Russia

Facts

• On Thursday, the US announced it would stop providing Russia with some notifications required under the New START nuclear arms control treaty as a retaliatory countermeasure to Moscow's suspension of the accord.¹
• The notifications include sharing telemetric data — information gathered remotely — on test launches of US intercontinental and submarine-launched ballistic missiles.²
• In February, Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin announced a suspension in the deal, saying Moscow wouldn't accept US inspections of its nuclear sites after Washington and its NATO allies declared Moscow's defeat in Ukraine as a primary goal.³
• A month later, Russia announced it would no longer give the US advance notice about its missile tests, saying, "All notifications, all kinds of notifications, all activities under the treaty will be suspended and will not be conducted regardless of what position the US may take."⁴
• However, the Biden administration has reportedly said it can open a dialogue on a new nuclear arms control framework once the treaty expires in February 2026 if Russia is willing to cooperate.⁵
• In addition, the US confirmed it will abide by the limits on nuclear warheads outlined in the New START treaty until its expiration date as long as Russia does the same.⁶

Sources: ¹Al Jazeera, ²The Economic Times, ³PBS NewsHour, ⁴New York Post,⁵Associated Press, and ⁶ABC News.

Narratives

• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by Firstpost. Since it's in neither of the countries' interests to embark on an open-ended competition in strategic nuclear forces, the US is willing to engage in bilateral arms control discussions with Russia without preconditions. If the treaty remains suspended, Russia and the US, who collectively control nearly 90% of the world's nuclear warheads, may incorrectly interpret each other's moves.
• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by RT. While Moscow remains committed to the principle that a nuclear war is unacceptable, it must not succumb to US pressure to review its suspension of the New START treaty until Washington changes its policy on Ukraine and until it's explained how the arsenals of not only the US but also other NATO nuclear weapons powers — i.e. the UK and France — will be accounted for by it.

Predictions