The two countries control about 90 per cent of the world’s nuclear weapons stockpile.
The Kremlin says it welcomes the U.S.’ readiness to extend the New START treaty on curbing nuclear weapons stockpiles, but warned that success will “depend on the details.”
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov made the position of the Kremlin known on Friday, two days after the inauguration of the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris presidency in the U.S.
The New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) agreement went into effect in 2011 and is set to expire on February 5, at which point there would be no deal between the U.S. and Russia setting controls on weapons stockpiles and allowing inspections.
Mr Biden’s new administration proposed a five-year extension this week.
“Russia is for preserving New START and for extending this treaty in order to gain time for talks and contacts.
“We can only welcome the political will to extend this document,” said Mr Peskov.
But he added that “everything will depend on the details of this proposal, which is yet to be studied.”
The U.S. proposal had already received support from other parts of Russia’s political elite.
Diplomat Mikhail Ulyanov called Mr Biden’s move an “encouraging step” on Twitter.
