The United States and Russia are close to reaching a deal to observe the New START nuclear arms control treaty after its expiration on Thursday, Axios reported, citing three sources familiar with the negotiations.
The treaty, which sets limits on each side’s missiles, launchers and strategic warheads, is the latest in a series of nuclear agreements dating back more than half a century to the Cold War.
Negotiations took place over the past 24 hours in Abu Dhabi, but no agreement was reached, Axios reported, citing an additional source.
The White House had no immediate comment on the report, which followed a series of other developments in relations between the world’s two largest nuclear powers.
The US military’s European Command said on Thursday that the US and Russia agreed in Abu Dhabi to resume high-level military dialogue.
Furthermore, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that US-backed peace talks with Russia would continue in the near future after negotiators ended the second round of discussions in Abu Dhabi.
Axios reporting on New START stated that it was unclear whether the agreement to observe the terms of the treaty for an additional period, possibly six months, would be formally enshrined.
WASHINGTON, February 5 (Reuters)
