Russia's parliament gave preliminary approval to a landmark nuclear arms reduction treaty with the US today, supporting ratification of the new Start pact in the first of three required votes.
The vote, in the final minutes of the last session before a lengthy holiday break, came hours after president Dmitry Medvedev praised his US counterpart Barack Obama as a man of his word for winning a tough fight for US Senate approval earlier in the week.
"(Obama)...fulfills his promises," Mr Medvedev said in an end-of-year interview with Russia's top three television channels.
"In rather difficult circumstances, he was able to push through the ratification of the paramount Start document which will ensure our security in the coming years," he said.
The treaty, signed by Mr Medvedev and Mr Obama in April, cleared its first hurdle in Russia's parliament with a 350-58 vote in a 450-seat State Duma dominated by the ruling UR party.
The pact, which arms control experts say Russia is all but certain to ratify despite vocal criticism from some lawmakers, will cut the number of strategic nuclear weapons deployed by the Cold War foes and cement improving ties between the two powers.
The US Senate approved the treaty on Wednesday after contentious debate over its long-term implications for US security, delivering Mr Obama a major victory during the 'Lame Duck' session ahead of the holidays.
During hours of debate before the Duma vote, foreign minister Sergei Lavrov warned lawmakers failure to approve the pact would upset the balance of power between the nuclear-armed nations and isolate Russia from the international community.
The treaty "will bring Russian-American relations to a qualitatively new level, creates a balance of interests and is welcomed by the entire global community," Mr Lavrov said. Its rejection "would deal a serious blow to the reputation of Russia," he said.
Mr Lavrov and defence minister Anatoly Serdyukov assured Russia's parliament, which usually serves as a rubber stamp for Kremlin foreign policy aims, that the treaty would not undermine Russia's security.
Russian lawmakers planned to return to the ratification debate in January after a holiday.
Reuters