The President of Russia Vladimir Putin has disposed to suspend the agreement with the United States on the disposition of excess weapons-grade plutonium. This follows from the corresponding decree, published on Monday, October 3, at the official portal of legal information.
According to the document, such decision is caused “by the threats to strategic stability in a hostile action” by Washington against Moscow and the inability of the United States to fulfil obligations.
In April this year, Putin, speaking at a media forum of the Russian popular front, has accused the United States for failure to fulfill their obligations to destroy the organization of weapons-grade plutonium. According to the President, Washington not so long ago announced changes unilaterally utilization of plutonium, “diluting and disposing of it somewhere in certain tanks”. This, as explained by the head of state, means that it would preserve the return potential at which the substance can be extracted, recycled and re-transform into weapons-grade plutonium.
An agreement to dispose of excess weapons-grade plutonium was virtually earn in 2009, but disagreements concerning the amount and sources of funding stalled the process. In 2010 was signed an additional document that recycling should begin in 2018.
An agreement to destroy 68 tons of weapons-grade plutonium excess to defense needs (at 34 tons from each side), was signed by Russia and the United States in August 2000. It provided for the recycling of plutonium in mixed nuclear fuel for use in reactors.
