State Dept: US Prepared to Begin Negotiating New Arms Control Framework If Russia Willing

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States is prepared to begin negotiating a new arms control framework with Russia once the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) expires if Moscow is willing to engage, State Department spokesman Ned Price said on Thursday.

"We're prepared if Russia is willing to engage as a responsible nuclear power to begin negotiating a new framework once New START expires in the coming years," Price said during a briefing. "We see the value of New START, it is as valuable to us today and some ways even more so than it has been in the course of its existence."

"We want to see the important parameters of New START continue to be implemented," he added.

Price's remarks come after Russia previously revealed it would be suspending inspection obligations outlined under the New START Treaty after anti-Russian sanctions breached parity. The Russian Foreign Ministry has, however, underscored that it would reverse course once all matters stemming from inspections are resolved.

Earlier, Russia's deputy envoy to the United Nations Andrei Belousov acknowledged that it would be rather difficult to predict whether Russia would be able to come to an agreement with the US on a treaty to replace New START before its expiration. Signed in 2010, the New START agreement is set to expire in 2026.