Nuclear arms negotiations between Russia and the United States remain on hold after Russia postponed talks that were slated to take place this week.
The United States has not held annual inspections of Russia's nuclear armament since inspections were suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Inspections were to resume in August but Russia denied moving forward due to the United States' support of Ukraine.
Russia and the United States entered the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty in 2011, putting limits on the Russian Federation's intercontinental nuclear weapons. The treaty was extended through Feb. 4, 2026.
Negotiations over inspections under the Bilateral Consultative Commission were planned for later this week in Cairo, Egypt. According to the State Department, Russia said it will propose new dates for meetings to take place.
"The United States is ready to reschedule at the earliest possible date as resuming inspections is a priority for sustaining the treaty as an instrument of stability," the spokesperson said, according to NBC News.
