MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russia was developing new strategic weapons and it would not be critical for Moscow if the United States declined to extend the warhead limits set out in a nuclear arms treaty that expires next year.

He said it would, however, be a shame if nothing remained of the arms control framework between the two countries, which have by far the world’s biggest nuclear arsenals.

Speaking to reporters at a summit in Tajikistan, Putin said an arms race was already in progress.

Russia has said it is willing to voluntarily extend the warhead limits defined in the New START treaty, which expires in February, if the United States is willing to do the same. Washington has not yet formally agreed to the proposal.

“Will these few months be enough to ma

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