TASS Russian News Agency:

A five-year extension of the New START Treaty will give time for comprehensive talks between Russia and the United States on future control over nuclear weapons, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said on Tuesday during the online seminar on the prospects for arms control after the U.S. elections.

“The extension of New START for a 5-year period will allow us to maintain the current ceilings on strategic offensive weapons as well as the level of transparency and predictability in U.S.-Russia strategic relations,” the Russian embassy quoted him as saying on its Facebook account. “It is also equally important that we could use the time gained as a result of New START prolongation to hold comprehensive bilateral talks on the future of nuclear and missile arms control. In these discussions the sides would consider all the factors affecting strategic stability. Namely – missile defense, shorter-and intermediate-range ground-based missiles, Global Strike systems, hypersonic delivery vehicles, future space weapons, etc.”

Russia, in his words, insists on developing a new “security equation” which would take into account advanced weapon systems, emerging technologies, and current political realities. “We suggest that future arms control should not be limited to traditional strategic arms such as ICBMs, SLBMs, and heavy bombers. We deem it necessary to include in the said equation all nuclear and non-nuclear weapons that could accomplish strategic tasks,” he said, adding that the U.S. side was informed about this position during the strategic stability consultations…

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