MOSCOW, February 5. /TASS/. Russia will maintain a responsible approach following the expiration of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), guided by its national interests, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a briefing.
"In any case, Russia maintains a responsible and careful approach to the issue of strategic stability in the field of nuclear weapons and will, as always, be guided primarily by its own national interests," he stressed.
New START expires today due to Washington’s reluctance to extend the treaty. US President Donald Trump said earlier that he expected to make a "better" agreement that would include China.
Moscow suggested extending the treaty’s validity for another year after the document expired but received no official response from Washington to the initiative. As for China, Moscow believes that it’s up to Beijing to make a decision and will respect any choice China makes. However, Russia emphasized that if New START’s scope was expanded at some point, it should include nuclear powers such as the UK and France, US allies and NATO members, whose nuclear capabilities are not covered by any strategic stability agreement.