Russia, US to Hold Strategic Stability Consultations on Monday, Deputy FM Says

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Representatives from Russia and the United States will hold consultations on the issue of strategic stability in the Finnish capital Helsinki on Monday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.
Sputnik

"A single day of consultations will be held on October 5 in Helsinki, continuing the discussions that took place in the summer," Ryabkov said on Sunday.

When asked if the New START treaty, the last remaining arms control agreement in force between Russia and the United States, would be on the agenda, the deputy foreign minister replied in the affirmative.

"Yes, of course," Ryabkov said.

Under the New START, which was signed in 2010, the US and Russia agreed to reduce the number of strategic nuclear missiles by half and limit the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550 each.

The New START treaty is set to expire in February 2021. Both Washington and Moscow have disagreed over the terms of its extension, particularly with regard to the US insistence that China be included in any future deal.

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