Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia is confident in the reliability of its deterrence forces but emphasizes the preference for political-diplomatic solutions over military escalation. At the Security Council meeting, the president also announced that Moscow is ready to adhere to “central quantitative limits” under the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) for one year following its expiration in February 2026. Monitoring US Strategic and Missile Defense DevelopmentsPutin stressed the need to carefully monitor the development of US missile defense, including preparations for deployment in space, as it could impact the balance of strategic forces. Russia’s relevant agencies have been instructed to track US strategic offensive capabilities and missile defense expansion closely. “Particular attention should be paid to plans to expand the strategic components of the US missile defense system, including preparations for space-based interceptors,” he said.