A high-ranking official from the White House hinted on Friday that the United States may need to increase its strategic nuclear weapons deployment to counter emerging threats from adversaries such as Russia, China, and others. This statement was made by Pranay Vaddi, a top official in the US national security council responsible for arms control during a speech about switching to a more competitive manner of arms control. He indicated this change in strategy is needed to press Moscow and Beijing to reassess their denial of US requests for talks on limiting arsenals.
Vaddi argued that if the adversaries’ armaments don’t alter, an increase in the weapons presently deployed by the US may be necessitated in the future. He emphasised that the country needs to be fully equipped to act if this decision is made by the president. If such a day arrives, it would mean that additional nuclear weapons are necessary to deter opponents and ensure the protection of the American populace, along with their allies and partners.
Despite Russia suspending its participation in the 2010 New START treaty over US support for Ukraine, a decision the US deemed “legally invalid”, America still maintains a cap of 1,550 active strategic nuclear warheads. This statement from Vaddi comes a year after Jake Sullivan, the National Security adviser, assured the same audience that an escalation in U.S strategic nuclear arms to counter Russia and China’s arsenals wasn’t necessary and suggested discussions “without preconditions”.
Vaddi confirmed that the administration remains dedicated to global arms control and efforts to hinder nuclear weapons proliferation. However, he expressed concern that Russia, China, and North Korea are rapidly expanding and diversifying their nuclear arsenals with scant regard for arms control. He added that these countries, along with Iran, are co-operating and co-ordinating in ways that jeopardise peace, stability, escalate regional tensions and threaten the U.S. and its allies. Vaddi also revealed that these nations are sharing advanced missile and drone technology, providing examples of Russian use of Iranian drones, North Korean artillery and missiles in Ukraine, and Chinese backing for Russia’s defence industries.
Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, declared on Wednesday his readiness to dispatch standard rockets capable of reaching the United States and its European partners, in retaliation if they permit Ukraine to delve further into Russia using long-range Western artillery. Regardless, by Friday, Putin reassured that Russia does not require nuclear armaments to ensure triumph in the war with Ukraine, which it instigated. [Russia-Ukraine conflict: Zelenskiy’s peace summit pronouncements provoke a response from China]
According to Mr Vaddi, the US retains its nuclear weaponry to deter assaults by enemies against itself as well as its partners and allies. Simultaneously, the US maintains a commitment to nuclear policy and force “transparency” alongside the United Kingdom and France. Nevertheless, if foes of the US increase their dependence on nuclear weaponry, he stated, adjustments would be unavoidable in their posture and proficiencies in order to sustain deterrence and stability.
In pursuit of this, Mr Vaddi affirmed that their administration is taking cautious strides, including overhauling the US’s weapon collection. Concurrently, the administration is committed to stopping nuclear weaponry propagation, which encompasses bolstering the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the fundamental constituent of the worldwide arms control system.
US President Joe Biden, as conveyed by Mr Vaddi, has promised to maintain conformance to the deployment limitations inscribed in the New START treaty, on the assumption Russia likewise complies. Conversely, Vaddi disclosed, that talks on a succeeding agreement to the New START treaty have been continuously denied by Moscow. New START, which will be ineffective by 2026, is the latest strategic armament restriction treaty among the global nuclear superpowers.
China, on the other hand, has been disinclined to converse with the United States about expanding its nuclear weaponry, Mr Vaddi concluded. – Reported by Reuters
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