US, Russian envoys discuss arms control in Austria this week

The United States renewed its invitation to China for talks on the future of arms control, in conjunction with an upcoming meeting between officials from the United States of America and Russia in Austria this week.

US, Russian envoys discuss arms control in Austria this week
20 June, 2020   04:49

On Monday and Tuesday, the US Presidential Special Envoy Marshall Billingsley is visiting Austria to discuss “jointly agreed issues related to the future of arms control” with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov.

The US State Department said, "The United States sent an open invitation to the People's Republic of China to join these discussions and made clear the necessity to engage in arms control negotiations in good faith."

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly called on China to join the United States and Russia in talks aimed at concluding a nuclear arms reduction agreement, replacing the new START agreement concluded in 2010.

This agreement imposes the last remaining restrictions on the deployment of strategic nuclear weapons by the United States and Russia, not to exceed 1500 each.

China has repeatedly rejected Trump's proposal, as it is estimated that China has about 300 nuclear weapons.

T/S

ANHA