The current situation in Russian-American relations does not allow for a meeting to discuss a new nuclear weapons control treaty, Russian state news agencies reported on Monday, citing the statement of Moscow's deputy foreign minister.
Talks between Moscow and Washington on resuming inspections under the new SNO treaty were due to take place in Egypt in November, but Russia postponed them and neither side set a new date for the meeting.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Serhii Ryabkov stated that the conditions for new negotiations regarding the treaty limiting the number of strategic nuclear warheads of each side are not suitable.
"The situation, to put it bluntly, does not allow setting a new date... taking into account this escalating trend both in the rhetoric and in the actions of the United States," Ryabkova was quoted as saying by the media.
In November, Moscow said it had "no other choice" but to cancel negotiations with the United States on inspections under the new SNO treaty, which expires in February 2026.
Already poor US-Russian relations became even more strained last year when the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine, prompting Washington and its allies to respond with a barrage of sanctions against the Russian economy.
While there have been occasional diplomatic successes, including a prisoner exchange involving US Marine Corps veteran Trevor Reed and basketball star Brittney Griner, direct high-level contacts have been few and far between.