WASHINGTON DC (TASS): The United States is cautiously optimistic about the progress of the strategic stability dialogue with Russia. This was announced on Tuesday by Mallory Stewart, nominated by US President Joe Biden for the post of Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Verifica-tion and Compliance.
“I am cautiously optimistic, believing that in certain arenas we can achieve some kind of success, we can understand what is the collective benefit for the United States and Russia, as well as, hopefully, the world community [as a whole] <…> “, – noted Stewart, commenting in the Foreign Affairs Committee of the US Senate on the course of the dialogue between Moscow and Washington on strategic stability. Stewart spoke at the hearing, which were devoted to the consideration of her candidacy.
“Dialogue on strategic stability is a very good first step to try to interact and understand where we [Ru-ssia and the United States] have coinciding concerns and where we can make pr-ogress towards stabilizing our relations,” the Americ-an diplomat emphasized.
The United States should conduct a dialogue on strategic stability with its “main competitors” on the world stage, Russia and China, Stewart said.
“Engagement with allies is just one piece of the diplomacy mosaic. We also need to engage with major competitors such as Russia and China, trying to maintain an open dialogue. It is important to have the ability to interact on the security sphere even in times of tension and contradiction in bilateral relations. Therefore, the current [ The US] administration is engaged in a dialogue with Russia on strategic stability and seeks to conduct a meaningful dialogue with China on nuclear and other threats to strategic stability, “Stewart said, speaking to the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee at a hearing on her candidacy.
At the same time, the candidate for the post of assistant to the head of the foreign policy department asserted, without going into details, that both Moscow and Beijing are demonstrating “increasingly aggressive behavior” in the international arena.
To date, Stewart has served as Senior Director of Arms Control, Disarmam-ent and Nonproliferation at the White House National Security Council. She previously worked for the US Department of State dealing with arms control issues.
