The Ghost in the Machine: Putin Lets Spirit of START Guide Russia for a Year

Though the New START treaty is officially dead, its ghost continues to haunt the machine of global security. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he will let the “spirit” of the defunct pact guide his nation’s nuclear policy for one more year, a move that keeps the memory of arms control alive.
Putin’s decision was an appeal to the stability of a bygone era. He stated that in the current “turbulent period,” it is justified to “maintain the status quo” established by the treaty, effectively allowing its core principles to govern from beyond the grave.
However, this ghostly guidance is only effective if both major powers heed it. Putin was clear that this spectral influence is only “viable” if the United States also respects the old rules and does not take actions that would disrupt the balance the treaty once enforced.
The Russian leader hopes that this shared respect for the past can build a bridge to the future. He suggested that it could create an atmosphere “conducive to substantive strategic dialogue,” potentially allowing for the negotiation of a successor to the very treaty whose ghost now guides them.
For one year, the spirit of New START will live on in Russian policy. It is a temporary resurrection, and whether its influence persists or is finally exorcised will depend entirely on the American response.