RUSSIA’s ambassador to the US has urged for Washington and Moscow to try and improve relations, as he fears tensions between the two cold war superpowers could spiral out of control and risk nuclear conflict.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries have soured in recent months, with the Kremlin accused of interfering in the US Presidential election and dozens of Russian diplomats expelled from Washington following the Salisbury poisoning.
Now, Russian Ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, has issued a plea for the governments of both countries to open up dialogue to try and ease the bitter relationship.
Mr Antonov said: “The current relations between Russia and the United States struggle through the worst times.
“Historians, politicians, political scientists cannot recall any other time when our relations were in such a miserable state.”
Despite warm exchanges of words between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, there as been a continued downward spiral of relations between the countries.
Discussing the tensions between the nations, Mr Antonov added: "Other countries, international peace and security all suffer because of this.
“The worse the US-Russia relations get, the worse the situation concerning security as well as nuclear arsenals’ reduction and limitation in the world becomes.”
Describing the urgency of the situation, the Russian argued it was of the utmost importance the two countries started talks on nuclear disarmament before 2021.
In 2021 the current New START agreement, which commits both the US and Russia to reducing nuclear weapons, expires and there are presently no plans to extend the deal.
Mr Antonov said: “All the more pressing issue is what will happen to nuclear disarmament after 2021, when the New START is set to expire.
“Due to a deep crisis in the Russia-US relations it would be naive to assume that our countries are likely to conclude a new treaty on strategic offensive arms by 2021.”
Vladimir Putin is already angry at the expansion of NATO military defences in Europe and sees them as a threat to Russia.
Trump and Putin have exchanged warm words at bilateral meetings (Image: GETTY)
The failure to agree an extension of the New START deal could see him increase Moscow’s nuclear capability.
Speaking in August of the US’s newest anti-missile defence systems in Europe, the Russian leader said America could be planning using the military equipment for nefarious means.
Putin told a press conference: “Naturally, we have to keep an eye on what is going on there and to strengthen our infrastructures.
“We must respond to the emergence of components of the US missile defence systems near our borders.”
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