Russia says no date set for talks with U.S. on nuclear arms treaty

(Reuters) – Russia mentioned on Monday that no new date had been set for talks with the USA on the New START nuclear arms treaty, accusing the U.S. of ramping up tensions between the 2 sides.

Talks between Moscow and Washington on resuming inspections below the New START nuclear arms discount treaty have been resulting from happen in November in Egypt, however Russia postponed them and neither aspect has set a brand new date for a gathering.

Sergei Ryabkov, the deputy international minister, mentioned the situations weren’t proper for brand new talks on the treaty, which caps the variety of both sides’s strategic nuclear warheads.

“The state of affairs doesn’t, frankly talking, enable for setting a brand new date, … making an allowance for this escalation pattern in each rhetoric and actions by the USA,” Ryabkov was quoted by Interfax as saying.

Already poor U.S.-Russia ties grew to become much more strained final yr when Russia invaded Ukraine, prompting Washington and its allies to reply with a barrage of sanctions in opposition to Russia’s financial system.

Whereas there have been occasional diplomatic successes, together with prisoner swaps involving U.S. Marine veteran Trevor Reed and basketball star Brittney Griner, direct high-level contact has been scarce.

Moscow mentioned in November that it had “no different selection” however to cancel talks with the USA over inspections below the New START treaty, which is ready to run out in February 2026.

(Reporting by Reuters; Enhancing by Mark Trevelyan)