Russia Withdraws From Critical US-Russia Plutonium Disposal Agreement Amid Rising Tensions

Oct 08, 2025 10:53 pm CST

Russia's parliament has approved withdrawal from the landmark Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement with the United States, ending a crucial post-Cold War nuclear security arrangement. The 2000 agreement, which aimed to dispose of 34 tonnes of weapons-grade plutonium from each country, collapsed amid claims of changing strategic balance and US policy shifts. This development marks another setback in nuclear arms control between the world's largest nuclear powers.