Putin signs law suspending U.S.-Russian weapons-grade plutonium disposal agreement
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law suspending the U.S.-Russian agreement on plutonium disposal, TASS reported.
The law was passed by Russia’s lower parliament, the State Duma, on October 19th, and by the upper parliament, the Federation Council, on October 26th.
Earlier, Putin set forth a list of conditions under which Moscow would consider resuming the plutonium disposal agreement, including an end to U.S. sanctions against Russia, compensation for the sanctions, and a reduction of the U.S. military’s presence in NATO member-states along Russia’s borders.
According to Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, "It is evident that the current U.S. administration won't...lift sanctions or reduce the American military presence in Europe for the sake of resuming the effect of the agreement.”
The law came into force the moment Putin signed it on Monday.