Moscow, Feb 6 (NationPress) Russia and the United States acknowledge the necessity to initiate discussions regarding the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) at the earliest opportunity, as stated by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Friday.

Peskov mentioned that this matter was addressed during recent discussions held in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where both parties reached a consensus on the importance of adopting responsible stances.

He noted that the dialogue in Abu Dhabi was productive yet challenging, with plans to continue discussions, according to Xinhua news agency.

Delegations from Russia, the United States, and Ukraine participated in the second round of trilateral talks concerning Ukraine in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday and Thursday. Russia and Ukraine reached an agreement for a large-scale prisoner exchange, but they failed to make significant advancements on critical issues such as territorial arrangements and a ceasefire.

As the two largest nuclear powers globally, the United States and Russia together control approximately 87 percent of the world's nuclear stockpile. The New START treaty, which became effective in 2011 and was extended in 2021 for an additional five years, has long been viewed as a fundamental element of bilateral strategic stability. The treaty imposes a limit of 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads on each side and establishes related constraints on delivery systems, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and heavy bombers.

In a post made on his Truth Social platform on Thursday, US President Donald Trump criticized New START as a “poorly negotiated agreement” that was “being significantly violated,” asserting that extending the treaty would not align with US interests.

Instead, he advocated for a “new, enhanced, and modernized treaty that can endure for years to come,” indicating Washington's willingness to move past the existing framework rather than maintaining its limitations.

The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that it believes the two nations are no longer obligated by any stipulations under the treaty following its expiration.

Trump's skepticism regarding arms control treaties is not a new phenomenon. During his initial term, Washington withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019, also claiming that the agreement no longer mirrored strategic realities and did not effectively restrain adversaries.

With the absence of New START, Washington and Moscow have lost their last remaining arms control framework, resulting in a strategic void that transcends their bilateral relationship. Nuclear arms control has now entered uncharted territory, influenced by a more fragile and unpredictable geopolitical environment.