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Moscow Received No US Proposals to Check Compliance With Moratorium on Nuclear Tests

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia has received no proposals from the United States to check the latter's compliance with the current moratorium on nuclear weapons tests, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told Sputnik on Monday.
Sputnik
Last week, US media reported that the US Department of Energy is seeking to demonstrate it is not violating the current moratorium on nuclear weapons testing, inviting Russia and China to review it in order to achieve greater transparency and reduce military tensions.
"We have not received any invitations," Ryabkov said, adding that Russia's position on the impossibility of doing business as usual with the United States in the field of strategic stability and in the field of arms control has not changed.
Analysis
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On Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Development

The reasons for Russia to maintain its unilateral moratorium on the deployment of medium-range and shorter-range missiles are disappearing due to the actions of the United States and its Western allies, Sergey Ryabkov said on Monday.
"The grounds for maintaining our moratorium are disappearing. But so far no political decisions have been made," Ryabkov told reporters.
The unilateral moratorium announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin has not been met with a proper response from the US and its Western satellites, the senior Russian diplomat explained.
"We are observing practical actions that, in my view, will inevitably lead to the emergence in both Europe and the Asia-Pacific region of such US-made weapons that were previously prohibited by the INF Treaty [Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty]," Ryabkov added.
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