Moscow, 21 February 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the suspension of Russia's last major nuclear disarmament treaty with the United States, the New START treaty, during his annual address to the nation, days before the first anniversary of his invasion of Ukraine.

Putin stressed that this was not a withdrawal from the deal, only a suspension.

The New START Treaty between the US and Russia entered into force on February 5, 2011, according to the US State Department, and marked an important step in post-Cold War nuclear disarmament.

The nuclear arms reduction treaty was extended in 2021 and was due to expire in 2026.

The Federal Assembly, which includes the lower house State Duma and upper house Federation Council, met near the Kremlin at the Gostiny Dvor event centre to listen to Putin's speech. Representatives of culture and religion as well as military officials, including soldiers from the war zone, were also present.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reacted to the suspension of the treaty immediately after the speech.

"Over the last years, Russia has violated and walked away from key arms control agreements," Stoltenberg said from NATO's headquarters in Brussels.

"With today's decision on New START, the whole arms control architecture has been dismantled," he said.

The world was watching closely as Putin gave his 18th presidential address to the Federal Assembly, an occasion which largely outlines the nation's condition and outlook.

Putin's speech, which was broadcast on live state television, centred mainly around the war, in which Russia has been struggling to gain control over its neighbour since last February.

The Russian leader promised reconstruction and jobs to the territories annexed by Moscow in Ukraine.

There would also be major new programmes for the development of the four "new subjects," Putin said, to rebuild businesses and create news jobs, as listeners applauded and gave the leader a standing ovation.

So far, however, Russia controls only part of the territories of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson, which were annexed in violation of international law.

During a minute's silence, Putin and the audience commemorated the war's dead.

Putin went on to announce further financial support for Russian veterans and the families of slain soldiers.

He instructed the government to work with individual regions to set up a special state fund. Social workers should take care of families with war dead and veterans.

In addition, all those who fought in what Moscow continues to call a "special military operation" should be able to take a 14-day holiday every six months, Putin said.

He also announced that Russia's army, which has seen many setbacks in recent months, would be modernized.

"The level of equipment of Russia's nuclear deterrent forces with the latest systems is now 91.3%," Putin said. "Now - taking into account our accumulated experience - we must achieve such a high level of quality in all parts of the armed forces," he added.

Putin continued to blame the West for the ongoing war. "They started the war," Putin said at the beginning of his speech. Russia was merely trying to stop the fighting, the Russian leader claimed.

"Step by step, carefully and consistently, we will solve the tasks ahead of us," Putin said.

One of these tasks is strengthening Russia's economy which has been hit hard by Western sanctions imposed since the start of the war.

Many Russians complain about rising prices, the high cost of living and the gloomy prospects for the nation.

Putin said in his speech, however, that Russia has not allowed itself to be destabilized by Western sanctions over the Ukraine war.

He mocked the European Union's claim to humanitarianism, by saying that the sanctions were aimed at making Russians suffer.

According to Putin, "the Russian economy and administrative system have proven to be much stronger than the West expected."

The EU and US announced fresh sanctions this week, ahead of the anniversary of the start of the invasion. This will be the EU's 10th set of sanctions.

Putin last delivered his address to Parliament in April 2021. He did not give one in 2022, citing the "dynamics of events."

Putin is expected to run for office again in 2024 after more than 20 years in power. Constitutional changes mean the 70-year-old could remain head of the Kremlin until 2036.