U.S. says START extension makes sense with Russia ties poor

The U.S. disarmament ambassador said on Tuesday that President Joe Biden's planned extension of the new START arms control treaty with Russia was in the United States' national security interests, and just the beginning of efforts to engage Moscow.

"President Biden has long been clear that the new START treaty is in the national security interests of the United States," Robert Wood told a virtual meeting on disarmament in Geneva. "This extension makes even more sense when the relationship with Russia is not at a good stage."

He added that the planned continuation of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty represented "the beginning and not the end of efforts to engage Russia" along with allies.