WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd September, 2020) US Special Representative for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea said in a statement that he had arms control discussions with NATO officials regarding Russia and China.
"Today had a fulsome 3 hour discussion with officials from across the NATO Alliance regarding Russia, China, and a range of options for future verification and transparency mechanisms," Billingslea said in the statement on Monday.
Billingslea told Russian newspaper Kommersant that the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), which is the only remaining Russia-US arms control deal in force, will not be extended if Washington and Moscow fail to conclude a relevant presidential memorandum by February.
Billingslea also said that if Russia opposes the memorandum, the United States will keep modernizing its nuclear arsenal without limitations imposed by the New START.
