Russia’s Putin says ‘no big deal’ if US won’t extend nuclear warhead limits

President Vladimir Putin has said Russia is developing new strategic weapons, while noting that an arms race is already in progress.

Speaking to reporters at a summit in Tajikistan on Friday, the Russian leader said it would not be critical for Moscow if the United States declined to extend the warhead limits set out in a nuclear arms treaty that expires next year.

Putin said it would, however, be a shame if nothing remained of the arms control framework between the two countries, which have by far the world’s biggest nuclear arsenals.

Russia has said it is willing to voluntarily extend the warhead limits defined in the New START treaty, which expires in February, if the US is willing to do the same. Washington has not yet formally agreed to the proposal.

The pact limits each country t