U.S. Agrees to Extend "START-3" Treaty on Moscow's Terms

On Wednesday, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov announced that Russia and the United States (U.S.) have agreed to extend the nuclear disarmament treaty known as "START-3" on Moscow's terms.

In press statements, Ryabkov said, "Russia will work through negotiations with the US in favor of strengthening the nuclear arms control system."

Ryabkov expressed hope to achieve progress in this field regardless of the challenges facing Russian-American ties.

On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin. It is considered the first phone call between the two since Biden took office.

“President Biden made clear that the United States will act firmly in defense of its national interests in response to actions by Russia that harm us or our allies,” the White House said in a statement. “The two presidents agreed to maintain transparent and consistent communication going forward.”