MOSCOW, February 3. /TASS/. The international situation will become more perilous if the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) ceases to exist, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said during a briefing.
"Indeed, time is running out, like shrunken leather. In just a few days, the world will likely find itself in a more hazardous position than before. For the first time ever, the United States and the Russian Federation — the two countries with the world’s largest nuclear arsenals — will be left without a fundamental document to limit their capabilities and ensure oversight. We believe this is highly concerning," he emphasized.
Peskov added that it would negatively affect "global security and strategic stability."
New START will expire on February 5. The treaty limits the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles, other types of missiles, and nuclear warheads for both Russia and the US.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced at a Russian Security Council meeting last fall that Moscow was ready to adhere to the treaty’s quantitative limits for another year after its expiration next February, provided that Washington reciprocates.
US President Donald Trump said in response to a TASS question on October 5 that Putin’s proposal was "a good idea." However, Washington has yet to deliver an official response to Moscow’s offer.