Kremlin: Russia Ready To Abide By 'New START' If US Takes Similar Position

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) MOSCOW, Sept 23 (KUNA) -- The Kremlin announced Tuesday that Russia is prepared to adhere to the limits set by the New START nuclear arms treaty for one year, provided the United States adopts a reciprocal approach.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated in a press briefing that the procedures for implementing such restrictions are clearly outlined and leave no room for misinterpretation. He warned that the absence of similar agreements after the current treaty expires could pose serious risks to international security.
Peskov noted that Russia had not previously informed Washington of its proposals concerning the treaty's future. He stressed that a new agreement cannot be reached before the expiration of the existing treaty due to the complexity of its legal and technical frameworks.
He added that the New START treaty had been a topic of discussion in past communications between President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump, indiacting the Kremlin had seen reports suggesting Trump may address the Russian initiative in upcoming statements.
On a separate issue, Peskov rejected recent allegations from some Western countries, including Denmark, accusing Russia of involvement in drone-related incidents.
He described the accusations as baseless and affirmed that Russian aerial operations are conducted strictly in line with international regulations.
President Vladimir Putin emphasized during a meeting with permanent members of the Russian Security Council yesterday that a complete rejection of the New START treaty would directly harm the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
The New START treaty was signed in 2010 and extended until February 5, 2026. It serves as a cornerstone of strategic stability between Russia and the United States by limiting the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems.
In February 2023, President Putin suspended Russia's participation in the treaty, accusing Washington of non-compliance and threatening Russian national security. He also denied inspection access to Russian nuclear facilities by the US and NATO.
In January, Russian Strategic Missile Forces Commander General Sergey Karakayev did not rule out increasing Russia's nuclear warheads in response to similar US actions, while affirming Russia's commitment to treaty-imposed limits. (end)
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