Russian Lawmakers, Diplomats, Military To Discuss Future Of START Treaty On Feb. 27

Russian Lawmakers, Diplomats, Military to Discuss Future of START Treaty on Feb. 27

Russian upper house's international affairs committee, Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry officials will discuss on February 27 the fate of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) between Russia and the United States, the press service of the Federation Council said Friday

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 21st February, 2020) Russian upper house's international affairs committee, Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry officials will discuss on February 27 the fate of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) between Russia and the United States, the press service of the Federation Council said Friday.

"The participants of the meeting will discuss the current state of relations between the two countries, the current situation in world politics and the prospects for interaction between the two world leaders on global security issues," the press service said in a statement.

The New START is the only remaining legally binding US-Russian agreement on nuclear arms control, in force since 2011 and due to expire in February 2021 with a possibility to be renewed for another five years.

Washington has not yet announced whether it plans to extend the pact. US President Donald Trump has instead proposed working on a new trilateral nuclear deal, which could include the US, Russia and China. However, Beijing has rejected the idea.

Meanwhile, Moscow has indicated that further strategic arms reduction is not possible without the United Kingdom's and France's participation.