US, Russia Reach Deal on Cutting Nukes

The US and Russia will drastically reduce their nuclear arsenals under a historic treaty to be signed next month. After long and trying negotiations, President Obama and Russian President Medvedev are to sign the treaty in two weeks in Prague, once final technical details are worked out. The accord is expected to cut the number of long-range nuclear weapons held by each side to about 1,500, and it raises hopes for further disarmament in the years ahead.

The deal is seen as sealing an increased level of trust and cooperation between the US and Russia, who possess the vast majority of the world's nuclear arms and have labored under strained relations in recent years. But a nuclear arsenals analyst said winning the Senate approval the treaty needs will not be easy: "Hard negotiations with the Russians will now be followed by hard negotiations with Republican senators to achieve ratification." (More nuclear arsenal stories.)