MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st September, 2020) The US-Russian agreement on New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) is possible only if the United States abandons referendums, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Monday.
US Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea told the Kommersant newspaper that unless Washington and Moscow prepared a presidential memorandum on arms by February, the treaty would not be extended.
"It is up to the United States. The ball is in their court. Either they give up their ultimatums and then we can start the talks about something or there's no deal," the diplomat said.
The problem with the New START is that it does not include a whole range of systems that the US is now building, Ryabkov said. Russia is ready to discuss New START with any US administration, the deputy minister said.
"We will see if the US administration, whoever comes to power after the November 3 election, is interested. To deal with problems, which we are interested in: US defense system, the prospects for the appearance of combat arms in space, new systems, including of strategic range and regular munitions. US hypersonic [systems], US cruise missiles of all types, which until recently have not been covered by any arms control treaties," Ryabkov said.
