Russian-U.S. Strategic Stability Dialogue Set for July 28

July 24, 2021 (EIRNS)—Another round of the Russian-U.S. dialogue on strategic stability will be held in Geneva on July 28, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on July 23. “In furtherance of the agreements reached at the June 16 talks between Russian and U.S. Presidents, Vladimir Putin and Joe Biden, another round of the Russian-U.S. strategic stability dialogue will be held in Geneva on July 28,” the ministry said, reported TASS. The Russian delegation will be headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. “The sides will discuss issues of maintaining and strengthening strategic stability, as well as prospects for arms control,” the ministry stated.

TASS earlier reported the statement by Ryabkov that the Russian side intends to discuss potential risks and threats, and to elaborate a mechanism of further joint activities, including the working format and the agenda.

A similar statement issued by the U.S. State Department reported that the U.S. delegation is headed by Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, and will include Bonnie Jenkins, newly confirmed as Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs. “The sides will discuss issues of maintaining and strengthening strategic stability, as well as prospects for arms control.”

The Biden Administration wants further arms negotiations to include Russia’s numerically superior arsenal of non-strategic nuclear missiles, which are not covered by New START and are a particular concern to European allies, Associated Press reports. The Russians have said they will insist that any new agreement include negotiated limits on U.S. missile defenses, which they see as a longer-term threat to the viability of their strategic arsenal.