Russia suspends plutonium deal with US

Russia has suspended an agreement with the US on the disposal of surplus weapons-grade plutonium, the latest sign of worsening bilateral relations.

In a decree, President Vladimir Putin accused the US of creating "a threat to strategic stability, as a result of unfriendly actions" towards Russia. Moscow also set pre-conditions for the US for the deal to be resumed. Under the 2000 deal, each side is supposed to get rid of 34 tonnes of plutonium by burning it in reactors. It is part of cuts to nuclear forces. The US state department said the combined 68 tonnes of plutonium was "enough material for approximately 17,000 nuclear weapons". Both sides had reconfirmed the deal in 2010. 'We fulfilled our duties' In Monday's decree (in Russian), President Putin said Russia had to take "urgent measures to defend the security of the Russian Federation". In April, Mr Putin said the US was failing to fulfil its obligations to destroy plutonium. Instead, he argued, the US reprocessing method allowed plutonium to be extracted and used again in nuclear weapons. Both sides had agreed to build special facilities for disposing of the surplus plutonium. "We fulfilled our duties, we built that enterprise. But our American partners did not," Mr Putin said. The US rejected that claim, insisting that its disposal method did not violate the agreement. Also on Monday, President Putin submitted a bill (in Russian) to parliament setting a series of pre-conditions for the US for the agreement to be resumed, including: reduction of US military infrastructure and troops in countries that joined Nato after 1 September 2000 lifting of all US sanctions against Russia and compensation for the damage they have caused

www.bbc.com...

a reply to: deviant300

Putin is a great strategist. I'm very interested as to the timing of this announcement.

a reply to: deviant300

This is quite interesting. The escalation of Russia vs. US opposition continues. We will see what comes of this.

He's waiting on his buddy Trump to seal the deal.

An interesting though scary game of chess...

Just seen this on BBC, and at first I wasn't able to see the benefit to Russia in suspending the plutonium deal with the US, particularly with Putin setting out what is an impossible criteria for the US to meet in order to resume the deal:

1) reduction of US military infrastructure and troops in countries that joined Nato after 1 September 2000

2) lifting of all US sanctions against Russia and compensation for the damage they have caused.

Putin has given the US a real headache, and any bravado rhetoric from the US in response would be pretty banal against the backdrop of implications Russia's suspension raises. The US can only provoke Russia in non-military means, i.e., with economic sanctions, but I view this suspension as a response by Russia for the continuous denigration of Russia by the US to always make out that Russia is a bad guy, in terms of Ukraine, and in terms of Syria.

Let's set something straight, whether you view Russia as the 'baddie' or not, Russia has had no choice but to respond to the US and western cat-calls in general. Putin is the only real leader in the political world at the moment, and of course, he is going to exercise his leadership for Russia in the best strategic ways possible. The US need Russia to continue with the plutonium deal, even as Russia is modernising its nuclear weapons. If the US balk at giving some leeway to Russia and allow some lessening of the sanctions against them, it will work against the US.

Putin knows the US cannot meet his stated criteria, certainly not in public, but I think over the coming months, you will see a diminution in the rhetoric from the US against Russia. Even though the two countries disagree ideologically, the US still need to meet with Russia as an equal military adversary, which, be under no illusion, they are, and need Russia on their side in a number of deals considering the chaotic turmoil the world is in.

The US knows that if it continues to try to isolate Russia and drive it into an isolationist stance, it will secure the US' own self-demolition of their hegemonic agenda. These are interesting times.

It seems to me that Russia's terms to restore this deal are unachievable and unreasonable. Therefore, it's a throw away deal from Russia.

These nuclear deals came from agreements to reduce t0eh size of the nuclear weapons arsenals and in this accord were meant to support Russia who did not really have the capability to safely dispose of nuclear materials. If Russia wants to store these materials in one of its many deeply polluted nuclear travesties, then that's their problem. One wonders if Russia is cutting of its nose with this one.

originally posted by: paraphi
It seems to me that Russia's terms to restore this deal are unachievable and unreasonable. Therefore, it's a throw away deal from Russia.

These nuclear deals came from agreements to reduce t0eh size of the nuclear weapons arsenals and in this accord were meant to support Russia who did not really have the capability to safely dispose of nuclear materials. If Russia wants to store these materials in one of its many deeply polluted nuclear travesties, then that's their problem. One wonders if Russia is cutting of its nose with this one.

How do you figure that? Russia has built the facility - US has not. Russia has many other state of the art facilities for processing nuclear waste, etc...

It's statements like that that come from nowhere but incorrect stereotypes.

Not so cold war is what I feel now. I think they mean it this time.

The US' response is pretty simple. Double down on sanctions. Russia's economy is already hurting. It can't stand much more strain.

This is essentially an empty threat from Putin. If it turned out this plutonium that Russia was no longer disposing of was ending up in ICBMs it would justify all the actions NATO has been taking that Putin has been railing against. It would also cause even more sanctions from both Europe and the US. It could also distance Russia from some of their most valuable allies.

originally posted by: Xcalibur254
The US' response is pretty simple. Double down on sanctions.

For sure, US diplomats and communicators are known for their quickwittedness. I heard some of them...What do you call them...Jen "That Egypt line is ridiculous" Psaki, Sam "Let's condemn Russia for condemning a U.S. war crime" Power, Victoria "F#ck the EU" Nuland, Mark "Exercise in transparency in democracy AHAHAHA" Toner, etc. And now you.

I mean, why the hell there should be a "response" like "double down on sanctions"? Do you even know the isuue? The US didn't even build the plant. But you didn't even know about that, right? You know NOTHING about the issue. So...

Sometimes it's better to remain silent.

originally posted by: Xcalibur254
The US' response is pretty simple. Double down on sanctions. Russia's economy is already hurting. It can't stand much more strain.

This is essentially an empty threat from Putin. If it turned out this plutonium that Russia was no longer disposing of was ending up in ICBMs it would justify all the actions NATO has been taking that Putin has been railing against. It would also cause even more sanctions from both Europe and the US. It could also distance Russia from some of their most valuable allies.

Taking certain actions and waiting for the other side to respond, then justifying the initial actions by the response to them by the other side. Typical US.

About valuable allies - thes days it's not Europe, and it has never been US in recent history.

As far as Europe, they need Russia more then Russia needs them, but they are collecivelt dancing to the tune of America's globalist goals, instead of listening to the will of their populations. Politically - Europe is anything but free, even though they pride themselves on terms like freedom and democricy. Freedom to do as US dictates at their own expence. Russia will quite happily survive without them.

originally posted by: Velatropa24
How do you figure that? Russia has built the facility - US has not. Russia has many other state of the art facilities for processing nuclear waste, etc...

It's statements like that that come from nowhere but incorrect stereotypes.

Ah yes, I stand corrected. I misread a table on MOX facilities. However, to correct stereotypes, the Russian plutonium reprocessing facilities are small in scale to some other countries. The deal with Russia was political transparency over the decommissioning of weapons. By disrupting these accords Russia may collapse wider treaties, which would be a shame. They will also still cut off their noses as the income generated by such arrangements are quite lucrative.

We can discuss the thousands on effects of the cause here and spin them different ways, but if we address the cause - it is simple...

US wants to control the world, and they have achieved a certain level of success in their agenda. However they have ran into a brick wall that is Russia - who is one of a handful of countries left who are truily independent, and the only one capable of keeping it that way, and making independent moves on the international arena.

This fact drives US policy makers nuts, and they are doing everything in their power to change it, and will never stop trying. It is that simple my friends.