ST. PETERSBURG. June 6 (Interfax) - Russia does not have to extend the New START: it has weapons guaranteeing national security, President Vladimir Putin told heads of news agencies at a meeting on Thursday.
"Extension of the New START is on the agenda. We do not have to extend it. Our systems can guarantee Russia's security for quite a long period of time," Putin said.
"We have made much headway. I should say we have surpassed our rivals in terms of hypersonic weapons," he said.
"So, if no one wants to extend the New START, well, we won't do that," Putin said.