Russia-Ukraine Tensions Threaten START I

KIEV, Ukraine — A spate of political and economic conflicts between Russia and Ukraine is dragging relations between the two Slavic nations to a new low and dimming prospects for the ratification of the START I nuclear arms treaty.

In a week of blunt exchanges, Ukrainian leaders have accused the Kremlin of failing to offer sufficient security assurances in exchange for the fledgling Ukrainian nation’s renunciation of its legal right to nuclear weapons.

“There is no movement in talks, and what is being presented by Russia is not acceptable,” said Konstantin Grishchenko, a Ukrainian arms negotiator.

Healthy relations between Russia and Ukraine are central to the security and development of the whole Commonwealth of Independent States. But the two countries’ painful economic straits have led to mounting tensions and accusations, especially over fuel prices and property rights.

On Tuesday, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry formally reacted to Russia’s claim to be the sole inheritor of property owned or leased by the former Soviet Union. A ministry official announced that Ukraine had issued a world appeal asking them to ignore Russian President Boris N. Yeltsin’s decree transferring all Soviet property to Russian jurisdiction.

“Ukraine is an heir to the former Soviet Union’s assets and liabilities. We do not recognize Russia as the sole inheritor,” Alexander Kupchishyn, a senior Foreign Ministry official, said at a briefing in Kiev.

Both countries have also demanded from each other payments in much-needed hard currency for gas supplies and transport, and Russia recently warned that it would cut off gas supplies to Ukraine altogether if it did not catch up with its bills.

Last year’s economic cold war between Russia and Ukraine, along with arguments over control of the Crimean-based Black Sea Fleet, had already damaged relations.

Now the fight over property looks even graver, jeopardizing a deal on how Ukraine and Russia will share $80 billion in Soviet debt. And the lack of progress on the START I agreement could trigger a new series of political and military complications.

Both the United States and Britain have offered security assurances in exchange for the Ukrainian Parliament’s ratification of the START I treaty, which envisions a cut of 35% in the U.S. and former Soviet nuclear arsenals.

But the Ukrainians complain that Russia has offered only “vague” assurances and that they will only be valid provided that Ukraine remains a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, established in December, 1991, after the breakup of the Soviet Union.

If nothing further is ventured by the Russians, then the START I treaty, which must be ratified by Ukraine before the United States and Russia can begin dismantling their arsenals, risks being amended by Ukraine. It could also be put off again by Parliament or possibly even rejected, freezing nuclear arms levels, at least in the short term.

Ukraine’s leaders are keen to have the START I treaty signed, if only to be rid of mounting diplomatic pressure. But they are equally determined to receive security assurances from Russia.