Konstantin Kosachyov, head of the State Duma's International Affairs Committee, said "The second reading will be definitely not held in the framework of the current session, and in January at the earliest."

"We will express our attitude towards the U.S. Senate's ratification resolution in January or some time when we prepare our amendments for the second reading of the START ratification bill," said Kosachyov, who was quoted by news agencies.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate passed the new treaty in a 71-26 vote, delivering U.S. President Barack Obama his top foreign policy goal as the lame-duck Congress session draws to an end.

Moscow and Washington signed the new START on April 8 in Prague, which calls for a big cut in nuclear weapons from both sides. The treaty has been widely seen as an effort for both Moscow and Washington to "reset" their relations.

According to the new treaty, both countries must reduce the number of their strategic missiles by two-fold to 800 units, and reduce the number of warheads by one third to 1,550.

On Friday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in a TV interview hailed the new START as a very important event this year.