Ambassador Says US-Russia Strategic Stability Talks May Start Next Month

LOCAL NEWS

• Russian Ambassador to the UK says Russia-US strategic stability talks may begin next month – starting with the extension of the New Start Treaty. Says the current level of tensions will need multiple summits to reach a detent
• Moscow Mayor announces new Covid restrictions from Mon 28 June, all restaurants to be Covid-free zones. Any mass event with >500 people to be cancelled unless they are held in covid-free zones.
  • Only fully vaccinated or those with negative PCR tests in the last 3 days may dine outside and will need to prove it with a special QR code from 25 June.
  • Moscow authorities say a full lockdown should only be introduced in extreme situations
• Russian Embassy urges US, allies to refrain from military training in the Black Sea.
  • Says the "scale and obviously aggressive nature of the military drills for SeaBreeze in no way match the real security needs in the Black Sea region," adding that exercises increase risks of "unintended incidents" and "inspire militaristic ambitions in Kiev"
• Deputy FM Ryabkov: Russia will never join US efforts to force China to participate in arms control negotiations, believes it should be conducted on a bilateral basis.
  • Called for Great Britain and France's involvement on strategic stability, but until they expressed voluntary consent to join, it is necessary to move along this path on a bilateral basis