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Questions on New START extension should go to Washington — Kremlin

The spokesman stressed that the treaty is the only remaining arms control document, and thus is important for the entire planet
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov Mikhail Metzel/TASS
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov
© Mikhail Metzel/TASS

MOSCOW, April 8. /TASS/. The US actions stall the extension of the New START Treaty, Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov told journalists Wednesday.

When asked whether the treaty has chances for extension, the spokesman said that this question should go to the US.

He added that the treaty is the only remaining arms control document, and thus is important for the entire planet.

"You know that actions on destruction of this document, on its non-extension, are taken not by Moscow; rather, this is our US colleagues’ unwillingness, and we have repeatedly expressed our regret in that regard," Peskov underscored.

Answering a question whether the coronavirus situation affects the international processes in general, the spokesman replied in the affirmative. "Indeed, the coronavirus has halted many vital processes. This is the reality we have to face," Peskov said.

On April 8, 2010, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and US President Barack Obama signed the New START, a new agreement on nuclear arms control, which replaced the previous one, the Treaty of Moscow.

According to the treaty, both sides agreed to reduce its nuclear warhead count to 1,550, and reduce its deployed launchers count to 700. The document entered force on February 5, 2011, and on February 5, 2018, both sides declared that the proclaimed goals had been reached.