The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland regards the extension of the New START Treaty for a further five years as a positive step which will contribute to maintaining strategic stability between the United States and the Russian Federation – the states possessing the largest nuclear arsenals. We believe that the parties to the Treaty will continue dialogue with the aim of concluding a broader follow-on agreement which will cover all nuclear weapons, including non-strategic nuclear weapons as well as new types of nuclear armaments. Further discussions should also lead to increased effectiveness of the verification mechanisms.

***

The New START Treaty, which entered into force on February 5, 2011, was concluded between the United States of America and the Russian Federation for 10 years with a possibility of extension for a further five years. The Treaty limits each side to no more than 1,550 strategic nuclear warheads on deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and heavy bombers equipped for nuclear armaments. The Treaty also sets limits on the number of deployed and non-deployed ICBM and SLBM launchers, and heavy bombers. It has a verification regime based on on-site inspections and data exchanges.

 

MFA Press Office