This was stated in an interview with Kommersant by the US President's special envoy for arms control Marshall Billingsley.
“You know, Russia itself must decide whether it wants to extend the START Treaty.
We made a good offer to her.
We do not think this proposal is unfair.
We believe that it is based on the principle of reciprocity and will lead to greater transparency, ”he said.
According to the diplomat, such a proposal is very valuable in an environment where the United States and Russia "do not trust each other in anything."
“I suppose that if Russia does not accept him, then after Trump is re-elected, the“ entrance fee ”, as we say in the United States, will increase,” Billingsley said.
He specified that then the United States will have "a number of new conditions" on which the White House will have to insist.
“But so far the proposal remains in force in the form in which we made it.
And if and when Moscow decides to show its desire to follow the path that, frankly, President Putin has repeatedly discussed with President Trump, then we are ready.
As for us, we could conclude an agreement tomorrow (at the presidential level -
RT
), "the special representative added.
Marshall Billingsley also said that the United States proposed to Russia to prepare a memorandum on weapons, which does not require ratification, and in the future will lead to a framework concept and a full-fledged multilateral treaty.
If such an agreement is reached, START can be extended for a period of less than five years, he said.