Russia wants the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with the United States to be extended without preconditions, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated.
“Russia’s approach to the future of new START has been clearly formulated by Russian President [Vladimir Putin]. We are for its extension without preconditions. As for the timing, Vladimir Putin said that Russia was ready to extend the agreement ‘immediately, as soon as possible, before the end of the year'”, Lavrov said.
According to the foreign minister, there are no deadlines on when the extension must be decided, but it should be ready by the time the current agreement expires on 5 February 2021.
“This means not only reaching agreement with the Americans but carrying out certain procedures in the Federal Assembly [Russian parliament] because it would require changes to the Federal Law No1 dated 28 January 2011, about the ratification of the New START treaty. So there is not much time left”, Lavrov said.
The New START is a nuclear arms reduction treaty that was signed between the United States and Russia in 2010 and came into effect the following year, being expected to last until 2021.
It is the last remaining arms control treaty in force between Russia and the US, which limits the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550.
The top Russian diplomat said that the United States is rudely meddling in the European business affairs by introducing sanctions against Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is set to carry Russian gas to Europe.
“The construction of Nord Stream 2 pipeline is close to completion, which is why its opponents have intensified their attempts to derail the project. Adding sanctions to US 2020 defence bill is a rude and cynical interference in European business affairs”, Lavrov said.
According to the Russian foreign minister, this bill is not protecting European energy security, but promoting US liquefied natural gas on the European market.
“This is a blatant example of unfair competition and politicization of the energy field”, Lavrov said.
Source: Sputnik
