Russian, US experts begin practical work on New START extension

MOSCOW, January 25. /TASS/. Russian and US experts have begun practical work on the issue of possible extension of the New START Treaty, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Monday. "I can say that experts are working on it. It is practical work and it has already begun," she said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 television channel. White House Spokesperson Jen Psaki said earlier that the US authorities supported the idea of extending the New START Treaty for a maximum possible term of five years. Russian president’s press secretary, Dmitry Peskov said earlier on Friday Russia hailed the United States’ political will on this matter but the outcome would depend on the details of this initiative that were yet to be analyzed. New START The Treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (the New START Treaty) was signed in 2010 and entered into force on February 5, 2011. The New START Treaty will remain in force for 10 years, until 2021, unless it is replaced before that date by a subsequent agreement on the reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms. It can also be extended for no longer than 5 years (that is, until 2026) upon the parties’ mutual consent. Read more