White House rejects Putin response to US arms control offer

The Trump administration on Friday rejected as “a non-starter” Russia's stance that a key nuclear arms control treaty be extended without imposing a broader, short-term freeze on U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons. Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier Friday said he could accept a short-term extension of the treaty, but only if it were without conditions.

The Trump administration on Friday rejected as “a non-starter” Russia's stance that a key nuclear arms control treaty be extended without imposing a broader, short-term freeze on U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons. In a written statement, Robert O'Brien, the national security adviser to President Donald Trump, said the United States had proposed an extension of the New START treaty for one year, in exchange for Russia and the United States capping all nuclear warheads during that period.

“This would have been a win for both sides,” he said. Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier Friday said he could accept a short-term extension of the treaty, but only if it were without conditions.

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