These remarks come against the background of statements made by Russian President Vladimir Putin about the possibility of making changes to Russia's nuclear doctrine.
"The United States has made clear to Russia on many occasions that we are prepared to discuss nuclear risk and a framework for a New START successor. Russia has outright rejected our overtures each time, citing continued U.S. support for Ukraine. We remain open to having a conversation with Russia regarding nuclear risk and arms control, and have never tied those discussions to Ukraine," the spokesperson said when asked what the US government's position on the perspective of arranging a bilateral meeting with Russia is.
Putin told a news conference during his visit to Vietnam on Thursday that Russia is considering making changes to its nuclear doctrine amid discussions in the West on the possibility of lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. He said explosive nuclear devices of ultra-low power are being developed, adding that there are ideas circulating in expert circles in the West that such weapons "could be used and there is nothing particularly scary about it."
The White House National Security Council Senior Director for Arms Control and Nonproliferation Pranay Vaddi told Sputnik in early June that Russia is welcome to make any proposals on possible leader-to-leader discussions with the US on arms control issues.