Russia denounces U.S. for undermining New START treaty

MOSCOW, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The United States, by its actions, has undermined the principles of implementing the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Wednesday.

Zakharova made the remarks at Sputnik Radio in response to the U.S. allegation that Russia violated the New START.

She said that Moscow remains committed to the treaty but does not see the same commitment from Washington.

"Do I need to remind, within the framework of the indivisibility of security, cooperation and everything written here, how the United States unilaterally withdrew from a huge number of agreements, how they were engaged in the so-called containment of Russia behind its back?" She asked.

The New START, the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty in force between the two nuclear superpowers, can be extended by a maximum of five years with the consent of the two countries. Russia and the United States officially extended the treaty by five years on Feb. 3, 2021.