FROM EIR DAILY ALERT

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New START, INF Treaties May Be on Putin-Trump Agenda, Says Russian Ambassador

July 4, 2018 (EIRNS)—Anatoly Antonov, the Russian Ambassador to the U.S., told RT America in an interview aired yesterday, that the July 16 summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will allow for progress in all areas of U.S.-Russian relations, including in arms control. Antonov also said that if the United States treats Russia as an equal partner, Moscow and Washington can find a solution to every issue before them. On arms control, he suggested that it is quite possible that Trump and Putin might start a discussion on both New START and the INF Treaty on strategic and intermediate-range nuclear weapons.

“The Russian Federation is not in favor of arms race,” Antonov stated.

“We made it clear many times and Russian President Putin has confirmed it many times, and even while presenting our new models of modern arms he made it clear that we would like to invite the United States at the table of negotiations, and it is high time for us to find solutions on various issues such as the New START treaty. What should we do with this treaty by the way? What should we do with the INF treaty? It seems to me that two presidents could have time to discuss strategical issues.”

The new START is up for renewal in 2021, while the U.S. has been accusing Russia of violating the INF Treaty since 2014.