By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW

Russia is ready to “enliven” contacts between the Russian and U.S. General Staffs to extend the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), the country’s Defense Ministry spokesman said.

"The Russian Defense Ministry is ready to enliven contact with the US colleagues, between our General Staffs and via other communication channels, to discuss extension of the START, cooperation in Syria, and other topical issues of military security," Igor Konashenkov told journalists in the capital Moscow.

He said that the Defense Ministry is also ready “to put into practice the agreements in the sphere of international security reached by the Russian and the U.S. Presidents, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, at their Monday’s summit in Helsinki.”

Following his meeting with Trump on Monday, Putin had said they both "believe that continued joint efforts to fully work through the military-political and disarmament dossier is necessary."