Russia, US appear ready for deal to extend nuclear pact

moscow — Russia said on Tuesday it’s ready to accept a US proposal to freeze the number of nuclear warheads and extend the two nations’ last arms control pact for one year and Washington responded that it’s prepared to make a quick deal.

US State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus welcomed the Russian offer and said that the US is ready to quickly clinch an agreement.

“We appreciate the Russian Federation’s willingness to make progress on the issue of nuclear arms control,” Ortagus said in a statement. “The United States is prepared to meet immediately to finalise a verifiable agreement. We expect Russia to empower its diplomats to do the same.”

The statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry marked a shift in Moscow’s position after Russia and the US rejected each other’s offers regarding the New START treaty that expires in February. The ministry noted that it’s ready for a deal if the US does the same and doesn’t put forward any additional demands, the statement read.

The New START treaty was signed in 2010 by then US president Barack Obama and Russian president Dmitry Medvedev. The pact limits each country to no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers, and envisages sweeping on-site inspections to verify compliance.

After both Moscow and Washington withdrew from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty last year, the New START is the only remaining nuclear arms control deal between the two countries.

We appreciate the Russian Federation’s willingness to make progress on the issue of nuclear arms control.” Morgan Ortagus

US State Department spokeswoman