UN, 4 October. / TASS /. Russia and the United States need to start a dialogue in advance on a new arms control agreement before the expiration of the Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (START, unofficially known as START-3) in 2026. This was stated on Monday by the UN Deputy Secretary General, High Representative for Disarmament Issues Izumi Nakamitsu.

“I am encouraged by the positive development [отношений] between two nuclear-weapon states – the United States and Russia, including the extension of the START Treaty, as well as the confirmation [на встрече в Женеве] by presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin on the principle that a nuclear war cannot be unleashed, ”Nakamitsu said, speaking at the Commission’s First Committee.

“Returning to regular new strategic dialogues, I hope the negotiations between the US and Russia on arms control agreements will begin long before the expiration of the START Treaty in 2026,” she said.

Russia and the United States signed the START Treaty in 2010. On February 3, 2021, an exchange of notes with the US Embassy took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on the completion of the internal procedures necessary for the entry into force of the agreement on the extension of the contract for five years.