MOSCOW. Dec 22 (Interfax) - Moscow is aware that there will be a vacuum in arms control from February 2026, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in an interview with Interfax.
"Naturally, we keep this date in mind. Of course, we are aware that there will be a vacuum in this area from February 2026. The process of strategic arms control de-regulation has been set off," Ryabkov said.
"I cannot say that the accumulated critical mass of Washington's destructive actions has made our fulfillment of the New START Treaty impossible, except for the commitment to key quantitative limits on warheads and delivery vehicles," he said.
The main reason for suspending New START's implementation is "the U.S. course towards undermining Russia's security in all areas. It keeps blocking the path to dialogue on new agreements that could replace New START. We do not see a way to somehow isolate missile and nuclear arms control from the negative military and political backdrop, including the generally deplorable state of Russia-U.S. relations," Ryabkov said.
As to whether Moscow thinks a certain document could be signed upon the expiry of the New START, Ryabkov said, "Unless there is a change [in U.S. policy] in the coming period, there will be no treaty, and it looks like there will be no other documents or decisions to replace the treaty," he said.
"As for the task of preventing complete chaos in the strategic sphere, there is a certain potential for maintaining an acceptable level of predictability and restraint, in particular through unilateral steps. Russia has repeatedly used such mechanism in recent years. Besides the decision to honor the New START quantitative limits, I would also mention a moratorium on the deployment of ground-based intermediate- and shorter-range missiles, and our confirmed commitment to two agreements with the United States on, respectively, notifications of ballistic missile launches and major strategic exercises. What will happen in these areas also depends on U.S. conduct," Ryabkov said.
"I don't think there are any elements in the current U.S. approach that give us grounds to say there is a real prospect of building something new, including in the context of the approaching New START expiry date," he said.