US, Russia to discuss nuclear arms limits in Geneva

A Russian flag flies next to the US embassy building in Moscow, on Oct 22, 2018. PHOTO: AFP

WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - Representatives from the United States and Russia are set to meet in Geneva on Wednesday (July 17) to explore the idea of a new accord limiting nuclear arms that could eventually include China, US senior administration officials said on Monday.

US President Donald Trump has said that he would like to see a new type of arms control deal with Russia and China to cover all types of nuclear weapons, a topic that he has discussed individually with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

China is not currently a party to nuclear arms pacts between the United States and Russia.

The US delegation will be led by US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan and will include Tim Morrison, a top aide at the White House National Security Council, as well as representatives from the Pentagon, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the National Security Agency, said the US officials, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity.

Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, will lead the Russian delegation, the US officials said.

"We actually feel that - touch wood - we've actually got to a point where we can try to start this again," one of the officials said, listing off a long series of incidents that have soured relations between the United States and Russia during the past year.

"I say touch wood because we're always just one incident away from unfortunately things getting derailed," the official said.

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