Moscow: There are no grounds for new negotiations with the US on the ''New START'' agreement

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated today that there are no grounds for discussing the start of a new negotiation process with the US on the Strategic Offensive Arms Reduction Treaty NEW START, Izvestia reports, quoted by Focus.

"Currently, there are no grounds for discussing the start of such a negotiation process (on the New START agreement). "We have repeatedly emphasized the need to see deeper, broad-based positive changes in the American approach to the issues we are discussing," Ryabkov said on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi.

According to him, Washington must first improve its policy towards Moscow.

"Only then will there be prerequisites for negotiations on a new START agreement," the Russian diplomat emphasized. At the same time, he expressed regret that the US perceives the agreement as “something unsatisfactory“.

"We regret that the US administration views the ''New START'' agreement, which is unfortunately already history, as something that does not suit the United States of America and requires its replacement with something else“, Ryabkov noted to reporters.

He explained that any agreement that replaces the 'New START'' agreement must be negotiated with the participation of the UK and France, as the closest allies of the US.

"In any such hypothetical process, nothing would happen without the participation of the UK and France, as the closest allies of the United States, which possess nuclear weapons and in the current very tense international situation, lead a lot aggressive course towards our country“, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister stressed.

Ignoring their nuclear arsenals would be irresponsible, the Russian minister believes.

"They should be at the negotiating table, I repeat, if and when something like this becomes relevant“, concluded Ryabkov.

The New START treaty, signed by the US and Russia in 2010, expired on February 5. strategic offensive weapons NEW START, but the US did not respond to this initiative. Later, the State Department specified that the treaty was initially disadvantageous for Washington and accused Russia of violating it several times. According to the US side, under the current conditions, a new agreement is needed, including China.