MOSCOW, September 28. /TASS/. Reaching arms control agreements with the US requires lengthy and thorough preparation, so results cannot be expected quickly, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said at a news briefing while commenting on Washington's declared wish to reach an agreement in this area.
"This is such a complex matter that it requires very lengthy, meticulous, and expert-level negotiations. Therefore, in any case, it will be a process that takes a long time," Peskov noted.
The most recent agreement on strategic stability - the Russian-American New START Treaty - expired in February, with Washington allowing it to lapse. The US insisted that a new agreement would be needed in the future, one that would also include China.
During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington, US President Donald Trump reiterated his desire for trilateral talks involving Russia, China, and the US on this issue. China, however, maintains that its nuclear arsenal is not large enough to warrant any discussion regarding its size.
Moscow has pointed out that any new agreement would require further negotiation and consensus-building, and would need to account not only for Russian and American arsenals but also for the nuclear weapons held by US allies in Europe - the UK and France. Regarding China's participation, Russia takes the view that this is a matter for Beijing to decide and respects whatever decision the Chinese side makes.
