US-Russia in nuclear talks huddle in Geneva

US State Department said on Wednesday that senior US and Russian officials on Wednesday restarted talks to ease tensions between the world's largest nuclear weapons power. It has been agreed to reconvene in September.

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov headed the respective delegations.

TASS news agency cited Ryabkov as saying he was satisfied with the consultations and that the United States showed readiness for a constructive dialogue at the talks.

It was the first time in nearly a year that both sides have held so called strategic stability talks amid frictions.

US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed in June to launch a bilateral dialogue on strategic stability.

After informal consultations aimed at "determining topics for expert working groups" in the next round, the two sides agreed to reconvene in late September, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

Price called the discussions "professional and substantive". He further said that US side discussed its policy priorities the current international security environment, "the prospects for new nuclear arms control" and the format for further talks.

The decision to meet again showed the sides understand the need to resolve arms control disputes, a senior State Department official said, that have seen an end to several Cold War-era treaties, including one that limited intermediate-range missiles.

"We know we have a responsibility as the largest nuclear weapons states to find a way to improve strategic stability to deal with a deteriorating arms control architecture," the official briefed reporters on condition of anonymity. he was quoted by Reuters.

(With inputs from agencies)