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Russian President Vladimir Putin revoked ratification of the nuclear test ban treaty. Photo/Reuters
GAZA – President Vladimir Putin on Thursday (2/10/2023) signed a law withdrawing Russia’s ratification of the global treaty banning nuclear weapons tests. It’s a move condemned by organizations that push for compliance with the landmark arms control pact.
The move, while expected, is evidence of deep tensions between the United States and Russia, whose relations are at their lowest point since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis over the war in Ukraine and what Moscow sees as Washington’s efforts to block the emergence of conflict. new multipolar world order.
Washington expressed deep concern over Russia’s decision and that it is a step in the wrong direction.
“Russia’s actions will only serve to undermine confidence in the international arms control regime,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, reported by Reuters.
Moscow says its deratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) was only designed to bring Russia into line with the United States, which signed the treaty but never ratified it. Russia will not resume nuclear tests unless Washington does, Russian diplomats say.
They also said that the move would not change the nuclear posture of Russia, which has the world’s largest nuclear arsenal, or the way Russia shares information about its nuclear activities because Moscow would remain a signatory to the agreement.
But some Western arms control experts worry that Russia may carry out nuclear tests to intimidate and instill fear amid the Ukraine war.
Putin said on October 5 that he was not ready to say whether Russia should resume nuclear tests or not after calls from some security experts and Russian lawmakers to test a nuclear bomb as a warning to the West.
Such a move, if it actually occurs, could usher in a new era of high-powered nuclear tests.