Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty
Quick Summary
The Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT), also known as the Moscow Treaty, was signed by the United States and Russia in May 2002. This treaty aimed to reduce the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads for each country to between 1,700 and 2,200 by December 31, 2012.1
SORT did not require the elimination of delivery systems and allowed for the storage of non-deployed warheads. Verification relied on mechanisms established in the earlier START I treaty. The treaty was ratified by both the U.S. Senate and the Russian Duma in 2003. However, SORT's implementation faced challenges due to ongoing tensions between the two nations, including issues related to the U.S. occupation of Iraq and Russia's invasion of Georgia.1
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
- arms controlRecent efforts
…the two countries signed the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty, which committed each side to reducing its store of strategic nuclear warheads. Russia subsequently announced that it would no longer be bound by the START II agreement, which its parliament had ratified in 2000.
Read More…the two countries signed the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty, which committed each side to reducing its store of strategic nuclear warheads. Russia subsequently announced that it would no longer be bound by the START II agreement, which its parliament had ratified in 2000.
Read More
Strategic Arms Reduction TalksSTART III/SORTVladimir Putin signed the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT). That treaty, sometimes referred to as the Moscow Treaty, was ratified without difficulty by both the U.S. Senate and the Russian Duma, in March and May 2003, respectively.
Read MoreVladimir Putin signed the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT). That treaty, sometimes referred to as the Moscow Treaty, was ratified without difficulty by both the U.S. Senate and the Russian Duma, in March and May 2003, respectively.
Read More