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Russia has not seen concrete arms control proposals by US yet — Kremlin spokesman

Dmitry Peskov noted that "even at the height of the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union were able to work together to uphold our shared responsibility to ensure strategic stability"

MOSCOW, August 9. /TASS/. Moscow has not yet received any specific proposals from Washington regarding the future of the New START treaty, which expires in 2026, or arms control in general, but a dialogue on this issue is necessary, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the media on Tuesday.

"Time will tell. We have not yet received any specific proposals on this matter. But we repeat once again: a dialogue in this area is necessary," Peskov said in response to a question whether Moscow was ready to submit its own proposals to Washington or was waiting for the US counterparts to take the first step.

Last week, US President Joe Biden issued a statement timed for the opening of a conference of countries participating in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) at the UN in New York. In particular, he said that the United States was ready to discuss with Russia a new arms control system that would replace the New START. Biden noted that "the health of the NPT has always rested on meaningful, reciprocal arms limits between the United States and Russian Federation."

He pointed out that "even at the height of the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union were able to work together to uphold our shared responsibility to ensure strategic stability."

While commenting on this statement, Peskov drew attention to Moscow's repeated calls for beginning arms control negotiations as soon as possible, including those on the extension of the New START. But Washington, he said, de facto shows no interest in any substantive contacts.

Russia and the United States signed the New START in 2010. In February 2021, Moscow and Washington extended it for the maximum possible term of five years, till 2026.