The current US administration has decided not to extend the New START treaty, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Monday. He also noted that the American side clearly considers the Russian offer to prolong the deal to be "uncomfortable", and even "unacceptable".
The statement comes a week after Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed his concern that neither President Trump, nor Joe Biden, are likely to make any substantial proposal to Russia on the strategic deal, despite an extension benefitting everyone.
The New START, signed in 2010, remains the only currently valid Russian-US arms reduction deal. It expires in February 2021, however, Washington has still not announced an official decision on its extension.
Moscow initially pushed for a five-year extension, with the US advocating abandoning the New START and signing a new deal instead, but then proposed to extend the current treaty for one year under certain conditions.