Vienna, December 28 (Sputnik).- Russia’s ambassador to international organizations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, called for including France and the United Kingdom in talks with the United States on the future nuclear weapons treaty that would replace the current one that expires in 2026.
“France and the United Kingdom will have to participate in the future treaty,” Ulyanov told Sputnik.
The START III nuclear weapons treaty is currently the only arms control agreement that links Russia and the United States, after Washington broke the INF Treaty on medium and short-range missiles on August 2, 2019.
The nuclear disarmament pact, which expires in 2026, limits the two countries’ arsenals to a maximum of 700 deployed missiles, 1,550 nuclear warheads and 800 delivery systems, deployed and in reserve.
In July 2021, the two powers relaunched dialogue on a new nuclear weapons agreement, currently up in the air.
The ambassador clarified that although the nuclear arsenals of France and the United Kingdom are incommensurable with those of Moscow and Washington, their military capabilities are “significant and sensitive” for the security of Russia, which is why it is inappropriate to move exclusively for a reduction of weapons that involves only Russians and Americans.
“France and the United Kingdom are military allies of the United States in the NATO bloc and it is clear that we cannot ignore their capabilities,” he stressed.
According to estimates by the International Institute for Peace Studies (Sipri), France and the United Kingdom together have more than 500 nuclear weapons that are beyond any international scrutiny.
Ulyanov also stressed that Russia sees no grounds for resuming dialogue with the US on arms control.
«We do not see premises. On the contrary, the entire US policy is aimed at aggravating relations,” she emphasized.
The diplomat described as “completely unrealistic” the possibility of allowing American experts to carry out inspections at Russian nuclear facilities in the current situation in which relations between the two countries find themselves.
«No one knows what the new treaty will look like (after START III expires in 2026). “That will depend on the situation on the international scene and the state of affairs in the military and political sphere,” he stated. (Sputnik)
2023-12-28 03:51:25
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