MOSCOW, February 23. /TASS/. The United States is ready to start talks with Russia on the New START nuclear arms control treaty "tomorrow" if Moscow is prepared for this, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland said in an interview with TASS.
"We’re ready to do it tomorrow if the Russian Federation is ready. And we’re also ready to allow inspections," the diplomat said, answering a question if Washington is prepared for talks without preconditions and accusations.
Nuland once again stated that the US views the treaty’s suspension as an irresponsible move. "The US and Moscow have responsibilities to the world to keep our nuclear arsenal safe and secure, and we should do our jobs," Nuland said.
"The US has been ready to go back to the table to ensure implementation of New START from the very beginning," she stressed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his February 21 address to the Federal Assembly that Russia was suspending its participation in the New START treaty, but was not withdrawing from it. The head of state emphasized that before returning to the discussion of compliance with the treaty, Russia should understand how the arsenals of not only the United States, but also other NATO nuclear powers — the UK and France — will be accounted for by the treaty. Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, on Wednesday unanimously passed the bill on Russia’s suspension of New START.