S. Korea welcomes extension of New START treaty between US, Russia

"Especially during times of tension, verifiable limits on Russia's intercontinental-range nuclear weapons are vitally important".

He pledged the United States will also "pursue arms control to reduce the dangers from China's modern and growing nuclear arsenal". Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a bill prolonging the agreement last Friday.

Brokered by President Barack Obama and Russia's then-president Dmitry Medvedev in 2010, New START came into effect the following year.

Beijing has launched a big military spending program on hypersonic and advanced conventional missile systems, and on a nuclear-capable long-range bomber.

"A clean five-year extension gives Putin exactly what he asked for and causes the USA to lose critical leverage to bring Russian Federation back to the negotiating table", said Mike McCaul and Mike Rogers, the top Republicans on House of Representatives committees in charge of foreign affairs and defense.

Israeli Ambassador Meirav Eilon Shahar said the pact and direct dialogue between the two world powers testified to a "shared goal of enhancing global security and stability".

So given the deteriorating dynamics of this era, President Joe Biden was right to signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their first call the USA would agree to extend for five years the New START Treaty, which limits the size of America's and Russia's strategic arsenals.

"The United States will also seek to engage China on nuclear arms control and risk reduction. We will also pursue arms control to reduce the dangers from China's modern and growing nuclear arsenal", Blinken said.

The extension of New START should be just that kind of wake-up call and the beginning, not an end, of controlling and eventually ending the threat of nuclear weapons.

"President Biden pledged to keep the American people safe from nuclear threats by restoring United States leadership on arms control and non-proliferation", Mr Blinken said in a statement.

Before his election as president, Joe Biden in his campaign platform had already committed to extending New START without condition, which made the Kremlin unlikely to agree to a deal with additional stipulations by the Trump administration until after the Nov.3 election.

Bell, an expert in nuclear proliferation issues, said it was "a sensible move to extend the treaty in that it is basically in the interests of the United States and Russian Federation".