WASHINGTON, February 17. /TASS/. The American administration has confirmed that it wants China to be party to a potential new agreement between Russia and the United States on the reduction of nuclear weapons, 

"The president certainly wants China in this agreement. I don't know exactly the path that we will take to get there. I imagine it will be a difficult one. I don't think anyone is under any illusions that this will be easy. It wasn't easy in 2020, we tried to get to a similar spot," Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Arms Control and Nonproliferation at the US Department of State Christopher Yeaw said at a seminar at the Hudson Institute. "But we made the attempt. We will make the attempt this time as well."

The Treaty between Russia and the United States on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (the New START Treaty) expired on February 5. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, under the circumstances, Moscow assumes that the parties are no longer bound by any obligations and symmetrical declarations of the treaty, including its central provisions, and are free to choose their next steps. Russia intends to act "responsibly and carefully," building its strategic offensive arms policies based on a thorough analysis of the US military policy and the overall strategic situation.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has recently said that genuine arms control in the 21st century is impossible without taking China into account. He described China's nuclear arsenal as large and rapidly growing.

President Donald Trump said the United States would be able to sign a more effective agreement after the expiration of the New START Treaty.