GENEVA, October 1. /TASS/: Russia’s offer to freeze nuclear arsenals together with the US, put forth one year ago, is no longer relevant, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Friday during a public discussion in the Geneva Center for Security Policy.
"No, it was a one-time offer, and it was said so to the US. They missed the opportunity," the diplomat said, when asked if the proposal is still in effect.
According to Ryabkov, back then, Russia wanted to show it was serious about conducting a strategic dialogue with the previous administration.
"They didn't want a freeze on all warheads, they wanted an extremely intrusive verification and control at all our nuclear-related facilities," the Deputy Minister added.
In October 2020, when the New START Treaty was still not prolonged until 2026, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated Moscow’s readiness, should the treaty be prolonged, to freeze the nuclear arsenals present at that moment for one year, if Washington puts forth no additional demands.
The New START treaty was signed by Russia and the US in 2010. On February 3, 2021, Moscow and Washington exchanged diplomatic notes stating that all procedures necessary for the extension of the treaty are complete. The Russian Foreign Ministry underscored that the extension of the treaty ensured the preservation and further functioning of the core strategic stability vehicle, which limits the nuclear arsenals on the basis of strict parity.
