In his post-summit press conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin reported that the two Presidents had agreed that diplomatic channels between the two countries should again function: the two Ambassadors will return to their posts within a day or two, and the Russian Foreign Ministry and the U.S. State Department will “begin consultations on the entire range of cooperation on the diplomatic track.”
Putin, like Biden, emphasized the importance of strategic stability talks: “The United States and the Russian Federation bear special responsibility for global strategic stability, at least because we are the two biggest nuclear powers – in terms of the amount of ammunition and warheads, the number of delivery vehicles, the level of sophistication and quality of nuclear arms. We are aware of this responsibility. I think it is obvious to everyone that President Biden made a responsible and, we believe, timely decision to extend New START for five years, that is, until 2024.”
What comes next on this front? “We agreed to start interdepartmental consultations under the aegis of the U.S. Department of State and the Foreign Ministry of Russia. Colleagues will determine at the working level the line-up of these delegations, the venues and frequency of meetings.”
