At his press conference on Oct. 10 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, Russian President Vladimir Putin was asked about the status of his proposal to U.S. President Donald Trump that the two sides extend the limitations on intercontinental ballistic missiles for a year following the demise of the START Treaty in February 2026.
“Are there any signals through closed channels, perhaps, that Washington is indeed prepared to hold such consultations? Will four months be sufficient to complete this process? Am I correct in understanding that a new personal meeting between you and your American counterpart will be required?” asked reporter Konstantin Kokoveshnikov.
“We maintain contacts through the Foreign Ministry and the Department of State. Will these few months be enough to reach a decision on extension? I believe it will suffice if there is goodwill to prolong these agreements. Should the American side deem this unnecessary, it is totally not critical for us – everything in this regard is proceeding according to plan.
