Russia says it will stick to New START’s nuclear arms limits as long as the US does

Vladimir Isachenkov | Associated Press

Speaking Wednesday to the parliament’s lower house, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that even though the U.S. hasn’t responded to Putin’s offer, Russia will respect New START’s caps for as long as it sees that the U.S. observes them too. “The moratorium declared by the president will remain as long as the U.S. doesn’t exceed these limits,” Lavrov told lawmakers. “We will act in a responsible and balanced way on the basis of analysis of the U.S. military policies.”

US and Iran showing flexibility on nuclear deal, says top Turkish diplomat

Andrew England and John Paul Rathbone | Financial Times

Turkey’s top diplomat said both the US and Iran appeared ready to compromise to secure a nuclear deal, but warned that broadening talks to cover Tehran’s ballistic missile programme would risk “nothing but another war”. Hakan Fidan, who has played an integral role in mediation efforts to avert a conflict, told the FT that Washington had signalled a willingness to be flexible on a key demand that Iran end all uranium enrichment.

Trump tells Netanyahu Iran nuclear talks must continue

Daniel Bush | BBC

US President Donald Trump said he insisted talks with Iran continue during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but warned he may take action against Tehran if a nuclear deal is not reached. The leaders met at the White House as tensions continue to rise across the Middle East and negotiations intensify over curbing Iran's nuclear weapons programme.

New Mexico Rebukes Federal Agency Over Nuclear Waste at Los Alamos

Alicia Inez Guzman | The New York Times

After years of missed deadlines, New Mexico is demanding that the Energy Department expedite the cleanup of so-called legacy nuclear and hazardous waste at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the birthplace of the atomic bomb, state environmental regulators announced on Wednesday. The state will also fine the agency up to $16 million for violating groundwater safety standards near the lab, civil penalties outlined by the New Mexico Environment Department in a series of regulatory enforcement actions.

USAF Ready To Make All B-52s Nuclear-Capable, Load ICBMs With Multiple Warheads If Directed

Joseph Trevithick and Howard Altman | TWZ

U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command says it is prepared to load more warheads onto Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) and restore nuclear weapons capability to the entire B-52 bomber fleet, if called upon to do so… “The conclusion of New START allows us to streamline our focus and dedicate more resources to our core mission: ensuring a safe, secure, and effective nuclear deterrent,” an AFGSC spokesperson told TWZ.

How Congress Should Judge a Saudi Nuclear Cooperation Agreement

Lowell H. Schwartz | Just Security

Unlike many international policy decisions, Congress gets a say in foreign nuclear cooperation, which can only be implemented via a congressional-executive agreement known as a Section 123 agreement… That means when a U.S.-Saudi Arabia 123 agreement is submitted to Congress… the legislative branch will have an opportunity to thoroughly consider whether the agreement meets the non-proliferation standards of the law and is in the national security interests of the United States.