Kremlin: We are awaiting Washington's response to Putin's initiative on a new START treaty

(Patria) - Moscow is currently awaiting Washington's response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's proposal on the future of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), spokesperson for the Kremlin Dmitry Peskov told reporters, TASS reported.

"Overall, everyone welcomes the Russian approach and Putin's initiative. So, we are awaiting the reaction of the other side," he said, referring to the attendees of the Global Atomic Forum held as part of World Atomic Week, which Peskov attended.

START III, or New START, set limits on the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles, certain other missiles, and nuclear warheads for Russia and the United States.

In February 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Moscow was suspending its participation in the treaty, although it was not withdrawing from it. Both sides indicated their intention to continue voluntarily adhering to the central quantitative limits of the treaty until its expiration.

On September 22, Putin told a meeting of the Russian Security Council that Moscow was ready to adhere to these limits for a year after the treaty's expiration in February 2026. However, he stressed that this would only be possible if Washington did the same.