The chances of extending the treaty on the reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms will be minimal if the United States does not abandon its ultimatum proposals.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told RIA Novosti, commenting on the words of the US President's Special Representative for Arms Control Marshall Billingsley on START.

“Billingsley's attempts to put pressure on, pointing out that the price of the START extension for Russia will increase, as he formulated it: after the expiration of the current period, the treaty will not be extended, and so on - these are all ultimatums that only reduce the chances of any agreement.

We cannot talk in this genre, ”Ryabkov said.

He also noted that Russia is ready for any development of events under the START Treaty, since all the necessary systems and capabilities to ensure security have already been created.

At the same time, the Deputy Foreign Minister explained that Moscow is in favor of maintaining the arms control regime in the nuclear missile sphere.

“It is clear that we will not allow ourselves to be dragged into the arms race.

And if anyone, including Washington, has any such calculations to drag Russia into an exhausting arms race, they are certainly wrong, ”the diplomat added.

In addition, Ryabkov accused Billingsley of distorting Moscow's position on China's joining the treaty.

“This is just a deliberate distortion of our position: we adhere to the approach that the question of whether to join or not to join any negotiations, to any agreements, belongs to the sphere of the sovereign choice of any country, including China,” concluded the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation.

Earlier, Marshall Billingsley, the US President's special envoy for arms control, in an interview with Kommersant said a “very reasonable” proposal to Moscow regarding the extension of the START Treaty.

At the same time, he said that if Russia does not accept the current conditions, then after Trump is re-elected, the "entry fee" will increase.

“Taking into account all the shortcomings of START, we consider it unprofitable for the United States.

It imposes restrictions on the United States that it does not impose on Russia, ”Billingsley said, adding that the future agreement should be multilateral and involve China.

Let's remind that the presidential elections are scheduled for November 3 in the USA.

They will be attended by the incumbent head of the White House Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden.

The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START or START III) was signed in 2010 and is valid until February 5, 2021, unless another agreement replaces it.

Russia and the United States have pledged to reduce their strategic offensive weapons and not to deploy offensive weapons beyond national borders.

According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, this treaty is the last instrument to limit the arms race, without which the world will become more dangerous and less predictable.

"The new treaty should not be a means of political blackmail"

Russia is interested in extending the treaty on the reduction of strategic offensive arms and has repeatedly pointed out to the United States that it would be a mistake to withdraw from the agreement.

This opinion was expressed by the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN Vasily Nebenzya in an interview with RIA Novosti.

“We are, of course, interested in extending the treaty, perceiving it as one of the most important elements of strategic stability.

We tell our American colleagues that not renewing it would be a big mistake.

If the agreement is not renewed, we will find effective ways to protect ourselves, ”the diplomat said.

  • © US Air Force / Senior Airman Ian Dudley Reuters

In turn, Anton Morozov, a member of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs, stressed the importance of the START Treaty.

In his opinion, the ultimatum statements are only negative, increasing the tension between the parties.

“We need to sit down at the negotiating table and also ensure the participation of new players, such as China, who might be interested in this agreement.

Russia and the United States, being large states, are responsible not only for the state of the bilateral agenda, but also for security throughout the world.

Therefore, it is impossible to put forward any ultimatum requirements, to force someone to make certain decisions.

It is necessary to ensure an inclusive transparent dialogue with the involvement of military experts so that the new treaty is a working tool, and not a means of political blackmail, "the parliamentarian said in an interview with RT.