WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The United States would welcome a follow-up from Russia on its proposal to hold a meeting to discuss the New START Treaty, National Security Council Senior Director for Arms Control, Disarmament and Nonproliferation Pranay Vaddi told Sputnik on Friday.
«The Russian Federation refused to talk to us. We’re still open to that discussion, but we would welcome a follow-up from the Russian Federation if they would be willing to talk about this now,» Vaddi said.
Earlier in the day, Vaddi stated the US is prepared to hold a discussion with Russia on the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) before it expires on February 6, 2026, and hopes Russia is ready to engage.
In his 2024 address to the Federal Assembly, Putin reiterated Russia’s readiness for dialogue with the US on strategic stability. He noted the paradox where Western nations simultaneously call for Russia’s strategic defeat while proposing negotiations on strategic stability, which he deemed impossible under current conditions.
The Russian Foreign Ministry reaffirmed that Moscow’s stance remains unchanged: discussions on security and stability must be comprehensive and centered on issues that directly affect Russian interests. The ministry criticized the US for wanting to conduct dialogue only on its own terms and on issues of its own concern.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov insisted that any dialogue on strategic stability must be genuine, contrasting with the approach historically taken by the US. He argued that restoring trust is unrealistic as long as Russia is openly declared a hostile state and a threat that needs to be eliminated.
