An ally of Vladimir Putin has warned Russia will retaliate if any country resumes nuclear testing. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov specifically namechecked the United States in his warning, before blaming Europe for stalling Ukraine peace talks.
Mr Ryabkov claimed Russia has observed that the US has spent some time readying its nuclear testing infrastructure, according to state media. “If a country with the capability makes the erroneous decision to conduct nuclear tests, and Washington is clearly in our focus, then we will retaliate immediately,” the senior Russian diplomat said. His comments come after similar warnings by the Russian President at last week’s Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi.
Mr Putin claimed “some countries” were preparing nuclear tests and said Russia would carry out its own in response.
It comes amid growing tensions between Washington and Moscow — the world’s two biggest nuclear weapon powers.
The last remaining nuclear arms treaty between Russia and the US is set to expire in February, although the Kremlin has offered to extend it for one more year.
The New START pact, signed by then-US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev, limits each country to no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers.
Meanwhile, Russia has also moved to leave an agreement designed to reduce stockpiles of weapons-grade plutonium from Cold War-era nuclear warheads.
Donald Trump has become increasingly frustrated with Mr Putin during Ukraine peace talks.
Mr Ryabkov said the “strong momentum” following a summit between the two leaders aimed at ending the war has largely been “exhausted”.
“This is the result of the Europeans’ destructive actions,” he said.
Mr Trump welcomed Mr Putin to Anchorage, Alaska, in August, however there has been little progress since.
The US President has called Russia a “paper tiger” and has said he is “disappointed” in Mr Putin.
In a major shift in his stance on the war, Mr Trump last month said Ukraine can win back all of its territory taken by Russia.
