President Barack Obama, capping a far-flung Asian trip of mixed results, assured Russian President Dimitri Medvedev on Sunday that getting the Senate to ratify the new START treaty is a "top priority" of his administration.
"I reiterated my commitment to getting the START treaty done during the lame-duck session," Obama said, noting that Congress returns next week for its postelection session.
In talks with Medvedev on the sidelines of the summit of the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, Obama also reiterated his support for bringing Russia into the World Trade Organization, calling Russia "an excellent partner."
The START treaty, which has been pending in the Senate for months, has drawn resistance, principally from minority Republicans. A congressional aide briefed on White House plans for getting it ratified told The Associated Press this week that the White House was adding $4.1 billion in funding for the US nuclear arsenal in an effort to pick up the necessary votes.
Asked during a picture-taking session about whether his administration was putting more money on the table for the nuclear program, Obama declined to answer.
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