Russia and United States To Hold Strategic Stability Talks in July

June 24, 2020 (EIRNS)—Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov announced that the U.S.-Russian working group agreed to hold its first meeting on strategic stability in mid-July. They agreed to set up expert groups, including on space, as part of the talks, which will be held in Vienna.

“There are other areas that experts will work in,” he told TASS. “These are both conceptual approaches to nuclear affairs and arms control and more mundane issues, which are quite numerous.”

“We hope that such meetings will take place starting in mid-July, as soon as the situation allows for face-to-face contacts in a relatively acceptable manner, given the persisting [coronavirus-related] restrictions,” Ryabkov said. He expressed hope that the experts would be able to “gain a good pace to pave the way for greater understanding and certain agreements with the United States in the future. The road to them will undoubtedly be long and difficult, given the substantial differences in our approaches.”

The announcement follows the meeting on June 22 between Ryabkov and U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea, also held in Vienna.