Russia, US on path to nuclear talks

Russia and the United States are discussing resuming negotiations on arms control in the coming weeks in what would be the first face-to-face contact with senior officials from both sides since the conflict in Ukraine began in February, a Russian newspaper reported on Tuesday.

The talks relating to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or New START, could take place in an unnamed Middle East country, instead of their traditional venue of Geneva, in late November or early December, Russia's Kommersant business daily said.

The newspaper, citing three unnamed sources in the report, said that Moscow no longer saw Switzerland as sufficiently neutral after it imposed sanctions on Russia over its special military operation in Ukraine.

According to Kommersant, Washington is expected to raise the resumption of on-site inspections under New START.

The last remaining arms reduction pact between the Cold War foes, New START is one of the few areas where Moscow and Washington have said they were open to cooperation despite tensions over the Ukraine crisis.

Moscow formally suspended physical inspections by the US in August after President Joe Biden called on Russia to demonstrate its commitment to limiting nuclear weapons.

Guarded optimism

The guarded optimism over arms control talks came as Ukraine on Monday received its first delivery of NASAMS air defense systems from the US and Aspide units from Spain, according to Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov.

"NASAMS and Aspide air defense systems arrived in Ukraine!" Reznikov said in a tweet on Monday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked the leaders of the Group of Seven nations for more help with air defense last week following a wave of Russian airstrikes on energy infrastructure.

NASAMS is a short- to medium-range surface-to-air missile defense system developed jointly by Kongsberg of Norway and Raytheon of the US, and the Aspide system made by Italy was provided to Kyiv by Spain.

Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said the newly arrived Western air defense systems will help deal with the threat of Iranian ballistic missiles reportedly being purchased by Russia.

The Russian government has not responded to the shipments of new weaponry for Ukraine. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed on Monday that Russia is "open to" negotiations with Ukraine but that now is not the right time.

Zelensky said he was open to talks with Russia, but only "genuine" negotiations that would restore Ukraine's borders, grant it compensation for Russian attacks and punish those responsible for crimes.