Officials have said that President Barack Obama will go to Prague, Czech Republic, to sign a strategic arms reductions treaty with Russia, the first in almost 20 years. The president is scheduled to arrive Thursday.

The Wall Street Journal has reported that the treaty pledges a 30 percent reduction in deployed nuclear weapons. It is being hailed by Vice President Biden as "a sharp departure" from almost two decades of nuclear strategy.

The newspaper has said that some observers, however, see the treaty as more of a "clarification" of policy than a break with the past.

The changes were called "adjustments of our position," by one administration official.

The Journal further reported that the Obama administration is hoping such "adjustments" will lead to warmer relations with Russia, tougher international sanctions against Iran, and multinational cooperation to safeguard fissionable materials and defend against nuclear terrorism.

Andrew Kuchins, Russia program director the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said, "I don't want to oversell it, but a long journey begins with a first step."

"This is an event of colossal magnitude, one that affects the way our countries regard other issues, the issues that concern everyone. The treaty about to be signed will elevate Russian-American relations to a higher level," said Sergei Prikhodko, an aide to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. (With Inputs from Agencies)