Risk of nuclear weapons use 'higher than any time' since Cold War, UN warns

By Betul Yuruk

UNITED NATIONS (AA) - The UN has warned Friday that the risk of a nuclear weapon being used is higher than at any time since the Cold War as Russia plans to deploy its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus.

Russia announced on March 25 that it had reached an agreement with Belarus to station its non-strategic nuclear weapons in Belarus, a close ally of Moscow.

"The war in Ukraine represents the most acute example of that risk," UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu told the Security Council.

"For the sake of all our security, I echo the Secretary-General’s call for the Russian Federation and the United States to return to full implementation of the New START Treaty and commence negotiations on its successor."

In February, Russia suspended its participation in New START Treaty, the last remaining nuclear weapons treaty between Washington and Moscow.

The US stopped exchanging data on its nuclear forces in response to Russia's suspension of it participation in the treaty.

US deputy UN Ambassador Robert Wood said that no other country than Russia was inflicting such damage on arms control.

"No country is threatening Russia or President (Vladimir ) Putin," he said. "The Kremlin could end the war if it chooses."

Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia defended his country's recent move and said that "there's a general logic of our former Western partners here. The logic is that Russia is responsible for all of the ills of today's world. We're not surprised by that".

China's deputy UN Ambassador Geng Shuang opposed any nuclear war saying that a nuclear war "cannot be won" and "can never be fought."

Ukraine's UN Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya warned that Kremlin was "ready to threaten the world with nuclear apocalypse."