{"id":47427,"date":"2021-01-26T21:48:17","date_gmt":"2021-01-26T21:48:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2021\/01\/26\/russia-us-exchange-documents-to-extend-nuclear-pact\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:12:53","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:12:53","slug":"russia-us-exchange-documents-to-extend-nuclear-pact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/smr\/nuclear-arsenal\/2021\/01\/26\/russia-us-exchange-documents-to-extend-nuclear-pact\/","title":{"rendered":"Russia, US exchange documents to extend nuclear pact"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

MOSCOW \u2014 Russia and the United States traded documents Tuesday to extend their last remaining nuclear arms control treaty days before it is due to expire, the Kremlin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Kremlin readout of a phone call between U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin <\/a>said the two leaders voiced satisfaction with the exchange of diplomatic notes about extending the New START treaty<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn the nearest days, the parties will complete the necessary procedures that will ensure further functioning of this important international legal nuclear arms control tool,\u201d the Kremlin said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Immediately after the call, Putin submitted a draft bill on the treaty\u2019s extension to the Russian parliament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pact\u2019s extension doesn\u2019t require congressional approval in the U.S., but Russian lawmakers must ratify the move. Top members of the Kremlin-controlled parliament said they would fast-track the issue and approve the extension as early as Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBoth houses of parliament will not lose a single minute to extend the treaty,\u201d said Konstantin Kosachev, head of the foreign affairs committee in the upper house of parliament.<\/p>\n\n\n\t