Obama vows to work with Russia to reduce nuclear arsenals

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President Barack Obama vowed in his annual State of the Union address on Tuesday to work with the Kremlin to reduce both Russia and America's stockpiles of nuclear weapons.

"We will engage Russia to seek further reductions in our nuclear arsenals and continue leading the global effort to secure nuclear materials that could fall into the wrong hands," Obama promised.

Obama came to office four years ago promising to make nuclear arms reduction a centerpiece of his foreign and security policy, raising such hopes that the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded him their 2009 peace prize.

But his soaring rhetoric has not been matched by results, with Russia wary of engaging in dialogue, Iran refusing to rein in its nuclear enrichment drive and North Korea defying sanctions to carry out nuclear tests.