NEWS BRIEF
Russia’s lower house of parliament has approved a withdrawal from the landmark Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement (PMDA) with the United States, a pact designed to eliminate 34 tonnes of weapons-grade plutonium from each country’s Cold War stockpiles. Moscow cited “anti-Russian steps” by Washington that it claims have undermined the agreement’s original strategic balance.
WHAT HAPPENED
- Russia’s State Duma voted to exit the 2000 agreement requiring both nations to dispose of 34 tonnes of weapons-grade plutonium each.
- The pact, which entered force in 2011, aimed to convert plutonium into safer forms like mixed oxide fuel for nuclear reactors.
- Russia suspended implementation in 2016, citing U.S. sanctions, NATO expansion, and disputes over disposal methods.
- Moscow claims Washington violated terms by changing disposal methods without Russian consent.
WHY IT MATTERS
- The withdrawal signals further deterioration in U.S.-Russia nuclear cooperation amid ongoing tensions over Ukraine and sanctions.
- Abandoning the pact leaves massive plutonium stockpiles, enough for thousands of warheads, without a verified disposal framework.
- The move reflects Moscow’s broader strategy of leveraging nuclear agreements as bargaining chips in geopolitical disputes.
- It raises nonproliferation concerns by halting a key mechanism for reducing weapons-grade material.
IMPLICATIONS
- Arms Control Erosion: The decision further weakens the already fragile network of U.S.-Russia nuclear agreements.
- Strategic Stability: Both nations may face increased pressure to modernize nuclear arsenals rather than reduce stockpiles.
- Nonproliferation Setback: The collapse of PMDA could hinder global efforts to secure and eliminate dangerous nuclear materials.
- Diplomatic Isolation: Russia’s withdrawal may complicate future cooperation on Iran, North Korea, and other nuclear issues.
This briefing is based on information from Reuters.
