The 2010 Nuclear Posture Review presented at the White House today stated that the United States would not develop or test new nuclear warheads. It also says the U.S. won't mount nuclear strikes against nonnuclear countries -- if they keep nonproliferation agreements.

The document sets the framework for nuclear policy for the next five to 10 years, including the size of and investments in the stockpile.

Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed to a new treaty on March 26 which would replace the recently expired Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty and reduce American and Russian nuclear arsenals to 1,550 warheads. The two leaders will meet in Prague on April 8 to sign the accord.

Obama and Medvedev are reportedly close to inking a new version of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which expired this month.

Speaking in Prague only a few hours after North Korea launched a test missile, Obama underscored his commitment to ensuring safe use of nuclear power around the world.

Obama referenced discussions he and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had during the Group of 20 summit in London about a new strategic arms reduction treaty. The leaders “will seek a new agreement by the end of this year that is legally binding, and sufficiently bold. This will set the stage for further cuts, and we will seek to include all nuclear weapons states in this endeavor.”

The president also said that to achieve a global ban on nuclear testing, his administration “will immediately and aggressively pursue U.S. ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.” He added that the U.S. will “seek a new treaty that verifiably ends the production of fissile materials intended for use in state nuclear weapons.” The administration will also work to “strengthen the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as a basis for cooperation."

The president also addressed the issue of nuclear power as energy versus as a weapon. He called on building a “new framework for civil nuclear cooperation, including an international fuel bank, so that countries can access peaceful power without increasing the risk of proliferation.”

Obama announced his intent to nominate Rose Gottemoeller, a specialist in Russian defense and nuclear issues, to serve as assistant secretary of State for verification and compliance. Gottemoeller is a former Energy Department official who is now at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Gottemoeller will likely play a role in negotiations with Russia over the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which expires in December.

President Obama sent a letter to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that, according to reports, offered Russia quid pro quo to abandon building a missile defense system in Eastern Europe if Moscow would work with Washington to stop Iran's development of nuclear weapons. In a response, Medvedev dismissed the notion of a compromise deal but signaled he was open to discussing the future of the missile defense plan.

"What I said in the letter was that, obviously, to the extent that we are lessening Iran's commitment to nuclear weapons, then that reduces the pressure for -- or the need for a missile defense system," Obama said, according to The Hill. "In no way does that diminish my commitment to making sure that Poland, the Czech Republic and other NATO members are fully enjoying the partnership, the alliance, and U.S. support with respect to their security." 

Secretary of State-designate Hillary Rodham Clinton has been adamant about using diplomacy -- rather than the Bush administration’s more hard-line, military-focused approach -- with nuclear renegades like Iran and North Korea. In her confirmation hearing Jan. 13, Clinton said the U.S. would “seek to halt Iran’s drive for nuclear weapons by using diplomacy, sanctions and coalitions with other concerned countries." She also described Iran's development of nuclear weapons as "unacceptable." She added that the Obama administration is reviewing the six-nation talks, led by the U.S. and China, to end Iran’s nuclear weapons development.