Kremlin: Russia opposes Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Treaty
Russia believes that the idea of nuclear disarmament is still premature. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) at the moment would only provoke a conflict between the nuclear powers, stated the Russian delegation at the meeting of the committee for conference preparation on The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), reports Gazeta.ru.
According to Russian representatives, the disarmament process must be approached “realistically and in several stages”. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the development of a global missile defense system and the prospects for weapons placement in space. The Russian Foreign Ministry believes that the Russian side in recent years “has made a tangible contribution to the process of nuclear disarmament”. The country's nuclear arsenal has decreased by more than 85% compared to the period of the “cold war”.
The delegation also opposed the deployment of the United States nuclear weapons in Europe. In addition, diplomats accused Washington of violating one of the key treaties in this area, the Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles (INF).
Earlier, Russian presidential aide for international affairs, Yury Ushakov, said that Russia was ready for new agreements on nuclear disarmament, but that “requires serious negotiations.”