VIENNA, February 22. /TASS/. Russia's permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, does not rule out Moscow might reconsider its decision to suspend participation in the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (New START), if the United States takes de-escalation steps.

"Suspension does not mean pullout. The situation can be 'reversed' if the United States shows political will and makes honest efforts for the sake of general de-escalation and creation of conditions for the comprehensive operation of New START," Ulyanov said on his Telegram channel on Wednesday.

In his February 21 message to the Federal Assembly, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow was suspending its participation in New START, but not withdrawing from it altogether. He explained that before resuming the discussion on the issue of continuing work in accordance with this document Russian wished to have an understanding of "what such countries of the North Atlantic alliance as France and Great Britain still claim to," and how their strategic arsenals would be counted.