Moscow: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Saturday that Moscow has not received any clarification from Washington, DC, through diplomatic channels regarding US President Donald Trump's recent remarks about resuming nuclear testing.
According to Anadolu Agency, Lavrov mentioned that there has been no explanation through diplomatic channels about Trump's announcement on the resumption of nuclear testing. The Russian state-run Tass news agency quoted Lavrov addressing reporters in Moscow, highlighting the global attention and concerns these comments have raised about the future of arms control agreements between the two nations.
In response to the US president's comments, Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated that Moscow is prepared to conduct nuclear tests if other countries take the first step. This declaration was made during a Russian Security Council meeting, which was convened following media reports suggesting the US tested nuclear weapons, something Washington has not done since 1992.
Putin instructed security officials to verify the information and, if confirmed, prepare for Russia's own nuclear tests. The last time Russia conducted nuclear tests was in 1990, during the Soviet Union era.
In addition, US Vice President JD Vance recently defended the necessity of maintaining and testing the US' nuclear weapons arsenal, calling it a crucial component of national security. His comments followed President Trump's directive to the Pentagon to 'immediately' begin nuclear weapons tests due to other countries' testing programs.
The US and Russia are bound by the New START Treaty, a long-standing arms control agreement that restricts the number of strategic nuclear warheads deployed by both countries to a maximum of 1,550 each. Additionally, it limits the number of launchers and nuclear-capable heavy bombers to 800, and establishes a mutual inspection and notification regime. The treaty was extended until February 2026 after former US President Joe Biden assumed office in January 2021. However, in February 2023, President Putin announced Moscow's suspension of its participation due to what he perceived as the West's adversarial stance toward Russia.
In a related development, North Korea is reportedly ready for a seventh nuclear test and could execute it promptly if leader Kim Jong-un decides to proceed, as per the South Korean intelligence agency.