White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said it is “unlikely” the outstanding issues between the U.S. and Russia will be resolved in the next 24 hours so the two world powers will instead issue a joint statement agreeing to continue the expiring nuclear arms START treaty until the new agreement is inked.
Gibbs said President Obama spoke with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and they agreed on the statement, which the Kremlin has already sent out a day early.
The treaty expires Dec. 5 and the statement agrees to keep with what is in place now for an indefinite period.
Gibbs declined to discuss the sticking points but said he believes they can “work through” them and come to a new agreement.
