Putin terminates agreement with US on weapons-grade plutonium

Russia's leader Vladimir Putin has terminated the agreement under which Russia and the United States committed to dispose of plutonium that is no longer required for defence purposes.

Source: Russia's official legal information portal; Meduza, Latvia-based Russian media outlet

Details: Russia has cancelled not only the Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement itself but also all accompanying protocols.

The deal on weapons-grade plutonium was signed in 2000 and ratified in 2011. It required each country to dispose of 34 tonnes of plutonium that was no longer needed for defence. Disposal was expected to begin in 2018.

The Kremlin leader suspended the agreement in October 2016, claiming a "threat to strategic stability caused by unfriendly actions of the United States against Russia", as well as Washington's alleged inability to fulfil its own disposal commitments.

Weapons-grade plutonium was initially intended to be used as fuel for nuclear power plants. The US later declared this method economically impractical for nuclear energy development and decided to opt for burial instead. Moscow used this to accuse Washington of breaching the agreement.

In 2016, Russia set conditions for reinstating the plutonium disposal accord. These included lifting all sanctions imposed on Russia at that time, compensating economic damage caused by the restrictions, and reducing US military infrastructure and troop presence in countries that joined NATO after 1 September 2000.

The United States has rejected Moscow's demands.

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