Russia's refusal to discuss nuclear issues with the United States for now casts doubt on its willingness to engage on compliance with or a follow-on to the New START arms control treaty, but its stance could change as the treaty's 2026 expiration nears, a senior US official said on Thursday.
"We have to take Russia at its word as far as its current position on arms control dialog (is concerned). They're refusing to engage bilaterally on these issues. It casts some doubt on Russia's willingness to entertain a conversation about a New START follow on or returning to New START compliance," White House National Security Council Senior Director Pranay Vaddi said at a Washington think tank.