Russia to consider ability of US, UK, France to nuke Moscow in deciding fate of New START treaty

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said Wednesday that Moscow will take into consideration the ability of the US, UK and France to carry out a joint nuclear strike on Russia in deciding the fate of the New START treaty.

Speaking at a meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club in Moscow, Ryabkov said the three NATO countries have formed a "united front" against Russia with a stated goal of "inflicting a strategic defeat" on it and suggested that they may carry out a joint nuclear strike on the country.

"In the current situation...we will necessarily take into account the option that these countries may jointly use their nuclear capabilities against Russia," he said.

Ryabkov also said that Russia will not reverse its decision to suspend its participation in the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) even if its concerns are taken into account because US assistance to Ukraine in its attacks on Russia's strategic facilities was "obvious" and these military locations were indicated in the START treaty.

President Vladimir Putin signed a law suspending Russia's participation in the only remaining arms control treaty with the US last month.

He said Moscow was suspending the New START treaty because of Washington’s growing involvement in the Ukraine war.

Signed in 2010 and extended in 2021 for another five years, the treaty aims to control and reduce strategic nuclear forces used by the US and Russia.