In a statement after a closed-door meeting, the two leaders pledged to begin immediately on a new treaty on offensive nuclear weapons to replace the 2002 Moscow Treaty on Strategic Offensive Reductions, which expires at the end of this year. They committed to reducing their nuclear arsenals to levels lower that those mandated by the START treaty, which calls for both nations to have between 1,700 and 2,200 warheads by Dec. 31, 2012. WaPo
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From Politico:
Senior Official One says that 6 months ago was the lowest point in U.S.-Russia relations since the end of the Cold War.
"This document shows we’re in a different place," brags the official, touting the joint communique that includes a promise to renew an arms control treaty.
The official, though, noted that Obama and Medvedev found areas of disagreement, pointing to Georgia, the general concept of "spheres of influence" and missile defense.
Both leaders acknowledged that the relationship between the two nations had "drifted" -- with each using the same word, Obama in English and Medvedev in Russian.
Read the transcript here. Medvedev:
I can only agree that the relations between our countries have been adrift over the past years. As President Obama has said, they were drifting, and drifting in some wrong directions. They were degrading, to some extent.
That is why we believe that since such a situation was not to the benefit of the United States or Russia Federation, to say nothing about the global situation, we believe that the time has come to reset our relations, as it was said, and to open a new page in progression in the development of our common situation.
Indeed, it was said that we are prepared to cooperate further in such areas as the nonproliferation of WMDs limitation of strategic weapons, countering terrorism, and improving economic and financial situation and the overall economic situation in the world. It is important to note that there are many points on which we can work. And indeed there are far more points in which we can -- where we can come closer, where we can work, rather than those points on which we have differences. Thus, by bringing our positions closer we can attain significant progress and, much more importantly, further our achievements.
