OREANDA-NEWS  Contacts between Russia and the United States on the Treaty on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms continue. In late November-early December, a meeting of the bilateral commission on the DSNV-3 may take place — the first after the start of Russia's special operation in Ukraine, writes Kommersant and Izvestia.

Three sources of Kommersant reported on the plans of Russia and the United States to resume dialogue on the DSNV at a new site. It is noted that the meeting may take place in the Middle East region for the first time. Prior to this, the meetings were held in Geneva, but Moscow no longer sees Switzerland as a neutral party and does not want to negotiate with third parties on its territory.

Previously, similar meetings were held in Geneva. However, Moscow no longer considers Switzerland, which has joined most of the Western sanctions imposed on Russia, a neutral state, and does not want to carry out contacts with third parties on its territory.

On September 29, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, said that Russia and the United States are making attempts at dialogue to restore regular inspections within the framework of START-3. To do this, the parties are negotiating the organization of a face-to-face meeting of the advisory commission.

Inspections under the agreement were suspended by mutual agreement of the two parties in early 2020, the reason for this was the COVID-19 pandemic.