[Regnum] Russia considers dialogue on the Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty (START) important for all parties, but reaching a new agreement will be difficult and time-consuming. This was stated by Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov at a briefing on January 15.
He commented on statements by US President Donald Trump, who had previously stated that the United States was prepared to conclude a new, "more advantageous" agreement if the New START Treaty expired. Trump also spoke in favor of involving China and other countries in future strategic arms agreements.
Peskov stated that Moscow has not yet received a response to its New START proposals and is awaiting a response. He emphasized that a more modern and mutually beneficial treaty would be in the interests of all parties, but negotiations on such issues are traditionally highly complex.
"Reaching such an agreement is a very complex and time-consuming process," Peskov said.
Speaking about China's possible participation in the dialogue on strategic stability, the Kremlin representative noted that Beijing's position is well known to the Russian side and is received with respect.
Bloomberg experts previously urged Trump to support Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal to extend the New START Treaty. Analysts noted that preserving the treaty would allow for the resumption of mutual inspections and bilateral consultations, which are considered key elements of strategic arms control and maintaining dialogue between Moscow and Washington.
In September, Putin stated that completely abandoning the New START legacy would be a mistake and proposed adhering to the treaty's terms for another year after its expiration on February 5, 2026. Peskov later clarified that Russia is prepared to continue adhering to the New START quantitative restrictions if the United States does the same, as it is impossible to agree on a new treaty before the current agreement expires.