“We are, of course, interested in extending the treaty, we perceive 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, ”Nebenzya said.
He also said that Russia will find effective ways to protect itself if the agreement is not renewed.
Earlier, the US President's special envoy for arms control Marshall Billingsley said that Russia was asked to prepare a memorandum on arms, which does not require ratification, and would later lead to a framework concept and a full-fledged multilateral treaty.
Billingsley said the future treaty should be multilateral and involve China.
He also noted that if such an agreement at the presidential level is reached, the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty will be extended for a period of less than five years.