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Russian senior diplomat says new countries may join strategic stability agreements

Sergey Ryabkov recalled the words of Russian President Vladimir Putin who stressed the need to involve the UK and France as the leading NATO allies of the US in this work

GENEVA, March 2. /TASS/. The accession of other countries to the current strategic stability treaties is possible if there is political will, which NATO allies do not yet have, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said at a press conference on Thursday.

"As for joining the existing treaties - anything is possible if there is political will. But it would require consultations and negotiations in order to create an appropriate framework. I don't see any political will," he said.

He recalled the words of Russian President Vladimir Putin who stressed the need to involve the UK and France as the leading NATO allies of the US in this work. "We don't see any readiness on their part for such a turnaround," Ryabkov said. According to him, Russia believes that this is where steps forward are needed now, and if British and French politicians and military are really serious about international security, they should "reconsider their traditional disposition."

"They are generally very reverent about this very idea of putting their capabilities under control and verification mechanisms. Apparently, they consider them special, separate from everything else going on in today's turbulent world. We do agree," the senior diplomat added.

Putin announced his decision to suspend Russia's participation in New START in his State of the Nation Address to the Federal Assembly. The president stressed that Russia was not withdrawing from the treaty, but before discussing the continuation of work under this treaty, the country must understand for itself how New START would take into account the arsenals not only of the United States, but also of other NATO nuclear powers: the UK and France.

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Foreign policy Sergey Ryabkov

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