UPDATE - France Welcomes US-Russia Decision To Extend New START - Foreign Ministry

PARIS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th January, 2021) The French Foreign Ministry welcomed the decision of the United States and Russia to extend the New START treaty for five years.

On Tuesday, Russian and US presidents Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden held a telephone conversation, after which they gave instructions to urgently extend the treaty. On Wednesday, both houses of Russia's parliament, the State Duma and the Federation Council, ratified an agreement to extend the treaty until February 5, 2026.

"France welcomes the decision of the United States and Russia to extend the New START treaty for five years.

It welcomes the efforts and responsiveness of the two parties, which made it possible to extend the treaty before its expiration date on February 5," the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry said the New START was the basis of the international architecture of nuclear arms control and disarmament.

"France recalls its commitment to the immediate redefinition of a more global ambitious arms control and strategic stability agenda following the New START extension," it said.