RUSSIA has maintained its position on the agreement with the United States regarding the reduction of strategic offensive weapons, which is set to expire in February 2026.
Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu reaffirmed this stance, emphasizing the need for continuous oversight and cooperation in maintaining such agreements.
Shoigu pointed out that agreements of this nature require careful handling, and any attempts to disrupt or alter them with improper methods could lead to failures. He stated that the future of the agreement depends on negotiations with the new US administration.
He recalled that under the Biden administration, the agreement was extended for five years, but with the expiry date approaching, discussions on its renewal or the creation of a new framework are necessary.
Meanwhile, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin, speaking at the United Nations Human Rights Council session in Geneva, reiterated Moscow’s openness to dialogue on multilateral disarmament agreements.
However, he stressed that progress in this area depends on mutual respect and constructive engagement between the parties involved.
Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Gennady Gatilov, has previously stated that the US has not shown readiness to resume meaningful discussions with Russia on nuclear disarmament. This lack of engagement has left the future of strategic arms control uncertain.
The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) between Russia and the US is set to expire on February 5, 2026. Despite this, no significant discussions have been held regarding the future framework for nuclear arms control.
Former US President Donald Trump has expressed interest in holding a tripartite summit with Russia and China to address nuclear disarmament. He stated that the primary goal should be to slow down, stop, and reduce the production of nuclear weapons.
Trump argued that the world already possesses enough nuclear arms to destroy the planet multiple times over, making further stockpiling unnecessary.
Trump also proposed that all three countries—Russia, the US, and China—cut their military spending by half. Russian President Vladimir Putin has supported this proposal, suggesting that Russia and the US could reduce their defence budgets by 50 per cent while allowing China to decide whether to join the initiative later.
