The United States and Russia issued a joint statement on Tuesday, pledging to reduce their stockpiles of long-range nuclear weapons "to the lowest possible level."

"The United States and Russia reiterate their intention to carry out strategic offensive reductions to the lowest possible level consistent with their national security requirements and alliance commitments," U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in the statement.

Rice and Lavrov conferred on developing an arrangement "to provide continuity and predictability" about their strategic offensive forces, the statement said.

The two ministers, who pledged full adherence to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, said in the statement that the two countries would continue discussions "with a view toward early results" on the reduction of their nuclear arsenals.

In addition, the statement said, the United States and Russia would cooperate in using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.