‘Thankless Task’: Deputy FM Says Resumption of US-Russia Dialogue on Strategic Stability Doubtful

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia does not consider the possibility of resuming dialogue with the United States on strategic stability obvious, given Washington’s aggressive policy, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said.

"Speculating about the prospects for strategic dialogue with the US, especially in the conditions when the Americans broke it off, is a thankless task," Ryabkov said, adding that "the very possibility of its resumption is far from obvious, given the recklessly aggressive policy that Washington is pursuing towards Russia."

According to Ryabkov, Russia has been tracking certain signals regarding the potential resumption of dialogue on strategic stability, but there has been no clarity on the issue.

"Our idea is to develop ‘a new security equation’ that would take into account all the factors affecting strategic stability. To this end, we seek to cover the entire spectrum of offensive and defensive, nuclear and non-nuclear weapons with a strategic potential," Ryabkov explained.

Earlier this week, when speaking about proposals voiced in the West to deny visas to citizens of Russia, Ryabkov stated Moscow would not want an "iron curtain," but that Russia would find a way to solve any rising issues.

In early August, the deputy foreign minister said Washington went to an unnecessary and unjustified escalation around the New START Treaty, commenting on the issue of temporarily withdrawing Russian facilities from the inspection regime of the agreement.