NEW YORK — President Barack Obama's decision to press for ratification of the New START treaty between Russia and the United States is one that will have a lasting influence on the rest of his presidency.
Although the treaty was signed in Prague on March 26 between President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, the treaty still needs ratification by both the Federation Council of the Russian Federation and the advice and consent for ratification of the U.S. Senate. Failure to do so will be a drawback not only for Russia and the U.S., but for any efforts to curb further proliferation of nuclear weapons.
When ratified, the treaty will limit the number of deployed nuclear warheads to 1,550 from 2,200, which is almost two thirds the amount of the original START treaty, as well as 30 percent lower than the deployed strategic warhead limit of the 2002 Moscow Treaty.