"We trust that the new US administration will adopt a more constructive attitude in dialogue with us," the foreign ministry said, criticising former president Donald Trump's approach as aggressive and counterproductive.

Officials in Moscow said they sought a five year extension with no additional conditions so Russia and the US can "seriously and jointly search for answers to questions of international security and strategic stability".

The treaty is the last major disarmament treaty between the two countries.

It is due to expire in February.

Russia is ready to cooperate, based on the principles of equality and mutual consideration of interests, the ministry said.

The US had previously said it is only willing to extend the treaty, even on a temporary basis, if Russia agreed to an arms freeze.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, an independent thinktank, the two nuclear heavyweights jointly possess about 90 per cent of the world's nuclear weapons.

New START limits the number of nuclear ballistic missile launchers to 800 and operational nuclear warheads to 1550.

Without it, there would be no agreement governing stocks of strategic nuclear weapons for the first time in decades.

Australian Associated Press