Resumption of military dialogue between the US and Russia after New START
In a significant development in strained international relations, the United States announced on Thursday a strategic agreement with Russia to resume high-level military dialogue between the two countries. This crucial step comes just hours after the expiration of the New START treaty, the last remaining pillar of nuclear arms control between the two superpowers, opening a new chapter in coordination mechanisms to prevent unintended escalation.
The importance of military dialogue in the context of a nuclear vacuum
The U.S. European Command affirmed in an official statement that maintaining open channels of communication between militaries is essential for ensuring global stability and peace. The statement noted that this dialogue provides a necessary means to increase transparency and reduce tensions, particularly in the absence of binding treaties that had governed strategic arms development for decades.
This dialogue is of paramount importance at the present time, as military experts believe that the absence of direct communication between the world’s two largest nuclear powers could lead to a catastrophic miscalculation, especially with increasing friction in different spheres of influence.
Background of the New START Treaty and the impact of its termination
The New START treaty, which officially expired on Thursday, was the last remaining agreement that imposed strict limits on the nuclear arsenals of both countries. Historically, the treaty restricted each nation to 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads. With the Russian Foreign Ministry's announcement that Moscow is no longer bound by any commitments or mutual declarations under the treaty, international concerns have grown about a potential new arms race reminiscent of the Cold War, making a return to military dialogue an urgent necessity for restraint.
The role of the Abu Dhabi talks and the Ukrainian issue
This agreement did not come out of thin air, but rather as the fruit of what sources described as "fruitful and constructive" progress in the Ukrainian peace talks hosted by the Emirati capital, Abu Dhabi. American diplomacy played a pivotal role in this context, with President Donald Trump dispatching his special envoy, Steve Wittkopf, and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to participate in the negotiations.
Observers believe that the success in opening a direct military communication channel reflects the desire of both parties to separate the course of political engagement from military security necessities, to ensure that the Ukrainian crisis or other outstanding issues do not slide into a direct confrontation between Washington and Moscow.
