MOSCOW, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered the suspension of a plutonium cleanup program with the United States for "hostile actions" by Washington.
The Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement (PMDA) has been halted due to "the emergence of a threat to strategic stability as a result of hostile actions by the U.S. in respect to Russia," as well as "Washington's inability to fulfill its commitments to disposing of surplus weapons-grade plutonium behind its decision," said a document published on the Russian government's website.
First signed in September, 2000 and updated in 2010, the PDMA committed each side to disposal of no less than 34 metric tons of weapon-grade plutonium, enough to produce 17,000 nuclear weapons.
