ST. PETERSBURG, February 11. /TASS/. Russia handed over its diplomatic note to the United States at the end of 2019 with a proposal to prolong the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (the New START Treaty) without preconditions, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Tuesday.

"Russia confirmed its readiness at the highest level to extend this treaty without any preconditions and, moreover, to do it urgently. This position remains in force," the high-ranking diplomat stressed.

"It was officially brought to the notice of the American side by a diplomatic note at the end of last year in accordance with those statements, which the Russian president had earlier made on this score," Ryabkov said.