MOSCOW, May 19. /TASS/. There is currently no meaningful interaction between Moscow and Washington on arms control and strategic stability, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Friday.
"Overall, the issues of arms control and strategic stability are extremely important, not only for Russia and the US, but for the entire world. And we can only state with regret that there are currently no serious, substantive contacts going on between Moscow and Washington," the spokesman said, commenting on the bill on withdrawal from the New START Treaty, introduced to the US Congress.
Meanwhile, Peskov noted that the onus for this regretful situation on arms control lies entirely with Washington.
"The last remains on the international legal basis in this area are slipping from under our feet; time is shrinking by leaps and bounds. Therefore, the situation here is sad, and the responsibility for this sad situation lies entirely with Washington," the spokesman underscored.
On Thursday, a group of ten US Republican senators introduced a bill that calls on the US Administration to withdraw from the New START Treaty and reinforce its nuclear capabilities. The bill obliges the US Department of State and the Pentagon to present a report to Congress on the state of the US’ nuclear forces and a plan to eliminate any weaknesses in the US’ nuclear deterrence forces. In addition, members of the Congress demand that any future arms control agreements with Russia that define quantitative restrictions on US and Russian nuclear arsenals cover all Russian nuclear forces (including non-strategic ones) and similarly restrict China’s nuclear arsenal. The initiative forbids the US government to unilaterally reduce US nuclear forces or weaken US missile defenses.