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No plans to resume Russian-US consultations due to Washington’s stance, says Moscow

Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s North American Department Georgy Borisenkosays that "unfortunately, Washington is shying away from that"

MOSCOW, April 19. /TASS/. There are no plans to resume strategic stability consultations between Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Andrea Thompson for the time being, since the US is not ready for that, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s North American Department Georgy Borisenko told reporters on Friday.

"There are no plans [to resume the dialogue] so far. We invite our counterparts to resume the strategic stability dialogue between Russia and the US all the time. We are ready [to do that] at any moment. Unfortunately, Washington is shying away from that," the diplomat noted.

The last Ryabkov-Thompson meeting was held in Beijing in late January, shortly before the suspension of Washington’s participation in the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. In response to that move, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on February 2 that Moscow was suspending the deal as well. He also noted that Russia would not initiate strategic stability negotiations with the Americans, stressing that Washington should be "mature enough" for equal and meaningful dialogue.

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