The Foreign Ministry announced the chance of reviving the nuclear missile treaty in its previous form

Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Sergei Ryabkov said that there are chances for the revival of the Treaty on the Reduction of Strategic Offensive Arms (START) in its previous form, but this depends entirely on the actions of the United States.

“It depends entirely on the behavior of the United States, on the awareness or unawareness of the pernicious course that they are pursuing in the Russian direction,” Ryabkov said (quote by TASS)

Earlier, the Deputy Minister did not rule out that the White House could withdraw from START III (an alternative name for the treaty) after its suspension. According to Ryabkov, it is not known what the United States can do next, but he recalled that “the Americans withdrew from the treaties.”

On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin, during his message to the Federal Assembly, announced a unilateral suspension of participation in START III, after which he submitted a corresponding bill for consideration to the State Duma, which the deputies of parliament unanimously accepted today, February 22. The Federation Council also supported law on the suspension of Russia’s participation in the treaty.

Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov named the reaction of the West to the suspension of the “consolidated” treaty. According to him, such a reaction does not give Russia hope for a readiness for negotiations, but it is necessary to maintain “a patient campaign in anticipation of when our opponents are ripe for a normal dialogue.”