Russia will only resume nuclear tests if the US does it first, a top Russian diplomat says
A senior Russian diplomat says that Moscow will move to revoke the ratification of a global nuclear test ban to put itself on par with the United States but will only resume nuclear tests if Washington does it first
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia will move to revoke the ratification of a global nuclear test ban to put itself on par with the United States but will only resume nuclear tests if Washington does it first, a senior Russian diplomat said Tuesday.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters that Moscow will rescind the ratification of the nuclear test ban treaty to “mirror” the action by the U.S. He added that if the U.S. conducts a nuclear test, “we will be forced to mirror that as well.”
The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, adopted in 1996 and known as the CTBT, bans all nuclear explosions anywhere in the world, although it has never fully entered into force. It was signed by both the Russian and U.S. presidents but was never ratified by the U.S.
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow could consider rescinding its 2000 decision to ratify the bill. Putin noted that while some experts have talked about the need to conduct nuclear tests, he hasn’t yet formed an opinion on the issue.
