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Extending New START allows Biden to demonstrate ‘moderation,’ Italian expert says

In his opinion, a discussion of further steps on expanding the strategy of arms reduction, which could have seemed a foundation for a possible improvement of relations between Moscow and Washington, will be used by Biden in an "anti-Chinese way"

ROME, January 22. /TASS/. The extension of the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START) will allow new US President Joe Biden to demonstrate his "moderation" compared to the administration of his predecessor Donald Trump. This opinion was voiced by chairman of the international institute of global analysis Vision & Global Trends, political scientist Tiberio Graziani in a conversation with a TASS correspondent on Friday.

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Russian envoy upbeat about reports of US plans to extend New START

"The issue of extending New START is of top priority from the point of view of policy of international security for US President Joseph Biden who assumed office. Since this issue concerns security on the entire planet, the extension of the treaty could be at least a symbolic demonstration of Biden’s moderation compared to the predecessor," the expert said.

In his opinion, a discussion of further steps on expanding the strategy of arms reduction, which could have seemed a foundation for a possible improvement of relations between Moscow and Washington, will be used by Biden in an "anti-Chinese way." "Without a doubt, the conditions are not the most promising. Biden has pointed out repeatedly that the main rivals of the US are Russia and China. In this sense, one shouldn’t expect major changes," the agency’s interlocutor concluded.

Earlier, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki stated that US authorities intend to extend New START for five years. On Friday, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Russia welcomes the United States’ political will to extend the treaty but the result depends on details of this proposal which is yet to be studied.

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Military drills

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