US Senator Calls On Trump To Start 'Serious' Talks With Russia To Extend New START

Sumaira FH Published December 10, 2019 | 04:50 AM

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th December, 2019) US Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein said she welcomes Russian President Vladimir Putin's remarks on extending the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) and called on US President Donald Trump to begin serious negotiations with Moscow.

Last week, Putin reiterated that Russia was ready to extend the New START treaty before the end of this year and without any preconditions.

"I welcome President Putin's comments in support of extending New START," Feinstein said in a press release on Monday.

"President Trump has also recently expressed a willingness to extend the Treaty, which I support.... Now is the time for the president to begin serious talks to continue a nearly 30-year streak of successful arms control with Russia."

New START is the last remaining arms control treaty in force between Russia and the United States. Signed in 2010, the pact stipulates that the number of strategic nuclear missiles launchers must be cut by half and limits the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550.