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Russia-US dialogue on arms control must be based on parity — ambassador

Another round of Russian-US strategic stability and arms control consultations finished in Vienna on August 18

Russia's Ambassador to the USA Anatoly Antonov Valery Sharifulin/TASS

Russia's Ambassador to the USA Anatoly Antonov

© Valery Sharifulin/TASS

WASHINGTON, September 18./TASS. Russia is ready for further interaction with the US on the track of arms control, but only on a basis of parity, Russian Ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov said in an interview with the Japanese Nikkei newspaper. The text of the interview was uploaded to the embassy’s Facebook page on Friday.

"We are ready for further interaction with the US on arms control, but only on a basis of parity and the principle of mutual respect for each other’s interests and concerns. In this regard, we are in favor of an integrated approach to arms control agreements which takes into account key factors influencing strategic stability. Among them are missile defense, ground-based intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles, Global Strike weapons, hypersonic delivery systems, future space weapons, etc.," the ambassador said.

Another round of Russian-US strategic stability and arms control consultations finished in Vienna on August 18. It was the second round of such consultations in 2020. After the consultations, US Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea said he was ready to recommend US President Donald Trump look at possible extension of the New START Treaty once agreement is reached with Moscow on a number of matters. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said later that the conditions set by the US side for the treaty’s extension were unrealistic.

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