Moscow, September 02, 2024, The Europe Today: Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has expressed deep concerns regarding a reported shift in U.S. nuclear doctrine, which he warns could significantly undermine global security.
According to a recent report by The New York Times, the Biden administration approved a revised version of the U.S. nuclear strategy in March. This updated strategy reportedly addresses the increasing nuclear capabilities of China and considers potential “coordinated nuclear challenges” posed by China, Russia, and North Korea.
In an interview with TASS news agency on Sunday, Ryabkov indicated that while it is premature to discuss the specifics of the new strategy—given that it has not been publicly disclosed—the initial indications are troubling. “Given the overall extremely destructive foreign policy course of Washington, any ‘innovations’ can be expected, including extremely destabilizing ones,” Ryabkov stated.
The deputy foreign minister also highlighted that Russia is in the process of revising its own nuclear doctrine in response to what it perceives as “escalatory” actions by the West, particularly in the context of the ongoing Ukraine conflict. Ryabkov noted that while Russia is updating its nuclear policy, the specifics of this adjustment have not been finalized. “This is quite a complex matter, given that we are talking about the most important aspects of ensuring our national security,” he added.
Under current Russian nuclear posture, the deployment of nuclear weapons is stipulated as a response to the use of nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction against Russia or its allies, or in the event of aggression with conventional weapons that threatens the very existence of the state. Russian officials have consistently emphasized that there are no plans to use nuclear weapons in the Ukraine conflict and that the nation’s updated doctrine is guided by the principle that nuclear powers should avoid engaging in a full-scale atomic war.
The United States and Russia hold the world’s largest nuclear arsenals, with approximately 5,000 and 5,500 warheads respectively. Both nations are signatories of the New START Treaty, which limits the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550 each. China, with an estimated 500 nuclear warheads, has signaled that it does not intend to join the treaty at this time.
The potential changes in U.S. nuclear policy and the ongoing adjustments in Russian doctrine reflect a heightened global concern over nuclear stability and strategic security.
