Moscow, 21 February 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Russia intends to continue to comply with the upper limit for nuclear weapons stipulated in its last major disarmament treaty despite President Vladimir Putin's announcement hours earlier that he had suspended it.

A statement released Tuesday evening by the foreign ministry in Moscow said, "In order to maintain a sufficient degree of predictability and stability in the nuclear missile field, Russia intends to adhere to a responsible approach and will strictly adhere to the quantitative limits it has set for strategic offensive weapons for the duration of the treaty."

A few hours earlier, Putin had announced the suspension of the New START Treaty. The Kremlin leader justified this step with what he said was an anti-Russian policy of the United States.

The Russian Foreign Ministry then followed up and accused Washington of an "obvious course of malicious escalation of the conflict in and around Ukraine."

US President Joe Biden and his administration have sharply criticized Putin's decision, calling it "irresponsible."

The New START Treaty is the only remaining major arms control agreement between the United States and Russia. The disarmament treaty limits the nuclear arsenals of both countries to 800 delivery systems and 1,550 operational warheads each.

It also stipulates that Washington and Moscow may exchange information on their strategic nuclear arsenals and hold up to 18 verification visits per year.

Both powers recently accused each other of breaching the treaty by no longer allowing inspectors to come in from the other country to monitor facilities.

Theoretically, the suspension of the treaty could also be reversed, Moscow said. "For this, Washington must show the political will to work conscientiously for a general de-escalation and to create conditions for the resumption of the full functioning of the treaty.

If the agreement is not extended, it will expire in 2026.

Photo: Facebook page of Russia's Foreign Ministry