Biden Nominee For Top Arms Control Post Says Would Pursue Deeper Weapons Cuts With Russia

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Bonnie Jenkins, nominee for the position of Under Secretary of State for Arms Control, said Wednesday at a confirmation hearing that would pursue deeper cuts to arsenals with Russia, including of novel weapons, if she were approved for the position.

“Certainly, I think the idea would be deeper cuts but I think a lot of that depends on what happens with the strategic stability talks that are being planned,” Jenkins told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Jenkins stressed that Washington certainly wants to include discussions on some of the novel weapons that Russia has developed and to explore non-strategic weapons.

“We certainly want to have a discussion in which we will bring in all of these weapons systems... so we can determine exactly where we need to have a conversation on deeper cuts,” she said.

In February, Russia and the US agreed to extend the New START treaty for five more years without any renegotiation of its terms. The treaty is now set to expire on 5 February 2026. It is currently the only arms control agreement between two countries that is still in force.