Putin to sign law on ratifying agreement on New START’s extension soon — Kremlin

MOSCOW, January 28. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin will immediately sign a law on ratifying the agreement on extending New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) as soon as he gets the document, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told TASS. "As soon as it [document - TASS] is received, it will be immediately signed. Here speed is very important and then the necessary decisions will be exchanged," the spokesman said. In reply to a question when the consultations on a new arms control treaty to replace New START could begin, Peskov said: "It is early to talk about this now." On Wednesday, the agreement on extending New START for five years, which was submitted by the Russian president, was unanimously ratified by both houses of the parliament, the State Duma and the Federation Council. A day earlier, Putin and US President Joe Biden held a phone conversation. In reply to a question how the leaders managed to come to terms on New START so quickly, Peskov earlier said "this was preceded by a rather hard work." Russia and the United States agreed on extending New START without preconditions as Moscow had insisted. Read more