Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will take part in the climate conference in Copenhagen next week, the Kremlin announced on Thursday, raising expectations that a new U.S.-Russian nuclear arms deal could be signed at the same time.
President Barack Obama is set to attend the meeting in Copenhagen on Dec. 18. Medvedev will be there on Dec. 17 and 18.
Russian and U.S. officials have said they expect a successor to the 1991 START I treaty to be signed soon, but no signing ceremony has been scheduled. Negotiations were still under way when the treaty expired Friday.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said in televised comments on Thursday that the negotiations were nearing an end. He said it was “necessary simply to show patience and await an announcement of the results.”
