The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Russia had not clinched a deal with the United States to extend the New START arms pact, the last major nuclear treaty between the two countries, despite US assertions suggesting significant progress.
The New START accord, signed in 2010, limits the number of strategic nuclear warheads that Russia and the US can deploy. It expires on February 5.
US officials have indicated on social media that an agreement to extend it has been reached in principle.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday no deal had yet been reached.
“As for the understanding for the need to extend the START treaty, we hope we are on the same track,” Peskov said.
“We understand that it needs to be extended, that this is in the interest of our two countries and the strategic security of the whole world.”
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow did not see prospects for extending the treaty but planned to continue talks.
Failure to extend the pact would remove the main pillar maintaining the balance of nuclear arms.