Ryabkov said that Russia and the U.S. are discussing the START Treaty through closed channels

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told RIA Novosti that Russia and the United States are discussing the START Treaty through closed channels.

“We have had quite a lot of discussions lately, including through closed channels, and there are no reticences on our part, no uncovered issues… We have no plans to discuss a broad agenda, because it’s the Americans who are getting away from that,” he said.

Ryabkov added that he did not rule out contacts with U.S. representatives in Geneva at the disarmament conference. According to him, Moscow is ready to discuss any issues, but this does not change the current situation around the START.

On February 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow was suspending its participation in the START Treaty.

He noted that a situation in which the U.S. military is stationed at Russian nuclear facilities while the U.S. foments further escalation of the Ukrainian conflict is simply not possible.