The Kremlin says Russian and U.S. negotiators could reach a tentative agreement on a new nuclear arms control treaty in time for U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Moscow next month.
A Kremlin spokeswoman, Natalya Timakova, told reporters Tuesday that officials are working intensively on a deal to succeed the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which expires in December.
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev hosts President Obama for a two-day summit beginning July 6.
The Russian and U.S. envoys began a second round of treaty negotiations Monday in Geneva.
After the first round of meetings in Moscow last month, Russia said the talks must include U.S. plans for a European missile defense system, which Russia opposes.
Moscow has called U.S. plans for the missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic a threat to its security. U.S. officials say the system is designed to protect U.S. allies from attacks by Iran, and is not aimed at Russia.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.