What Joe Biden said on Putin’s decision to suspend nuclear deal

President Joe Biden said Wednesday that he did not read Vladimir Putin’s decision to temporarily suspend participation in a nuclear arms treaty as a sign the Russian president was considering using nuclear weapons, although the US leader called it a “big mistake”.

“It’s a big mistake to do that. Not very responsible. But I didn’t read that he’s thinking about using nuclear weapons or anything like that,” Biden said in an ABC News interview.

Putin earlier this week withdrew from the New START arms control treaty – a 2010 agreement that limits the number of Russian and US deployed strategic nuclear weapons – and warned that Moscow could resume nuclear tests.

However, Russia said it would stick to the agreed limit on nuclear missiles and keep the US informed of changes in its deployment despite the suspension.

Asked in the interview whether the treaty’s suspension has made the world less safe, Biden said: “Well, I think we’re less safe when we walk away from the arms control agreements that both sides have in place.” There are too many interests and interests of the world. Interests.”

However, he said there was no evidence to suggest a change in Russia’s nuclear stance.

“The idea that somehow that means they’re thinking about using nuclear weapons, intercontinental ballistic missiles, there’s no evidence for that,” Biden said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that the suspension announced by Russia was “deeply unfortunate and irresponsible”. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said it made the world more dangerous, urging Putin to reconsider.

Moscow has demanded that British and French nuclear weapons targeted against Russia be included in the arms control framework, seen as a non-starter for Washington after more than half a century of bilateral nuclear treaties with Russia. Situation