SOCHI, June 25. /TASS/. Moscow and Washington are actively working on the issue of resuming inspections within the framework of the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, also known as the New START Treaty, but no agreements have been reached so far, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters on Friday. 

"Work on the issue is in progress. It is clear that the COVID-19 situation is changing quite dynamically, but some time ago, we started discussing this issue, there are no agreements yet," he said.

"Sanitary and epidemiological norms are, of course, the most important thing in this situation, but it is clear that the pause has been long," the senior diplomat added.

According to Ryabkov, it is necessary to find the right balance in taking measures that would make it possible to ensure the normal implementation of the treaty in terms of its verification. "That’s what we are doing in rapport with our American counterparts," Ryabkov concluded.

On January 26, Moscow and Washington exchanged diplomatic notes on reaching an agreement to extend the New START Treaty. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Joe Biden expressed their satisfaction with the fact in a telephone conversation.