Russia has yet to see any positive developments from the new U.S. administration regarding disarmament, Russia’s permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Gennady Gatilov, said on Feb. 9.
He noted that while Moscow remains open to cooperation, there has been no progress within the framework of the Conference on Disarmament, an international forum that has previously negotiated key arms control agreements.
Gatilov reiterated Russia’s willingness to maintain stable relations with the U.S. administration but emphasized that Washington has yet to take concrete steps toward resuming arms control discussions.
"We expect that the Americans will move from words to action, especially since they have made numerous statements on the matter since January 20," he told Russian state media.
The remarks come as Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed hope that Donald Trump’s return to the White House could usher in a new phase in U.S.-Russia relations. Both leaders have indicated interest in an in-person meeting, with Trump emphasizing his intention to end the war in Ukraine.
Despite these signals, nuclear arms control discussions between Moscow and Washington remain stalled.
The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), which limits the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems for both countries, is set to expire on Feb. 5, 2026. With no active negotiations to extend or replace it, the treaty remains the last major nuclear arms control agreement between the world’s two largest nuclear powers.
Liliane Bivings
