Russia has never refused talks with the US on nuclear weapons control — despite Washington's ramping-up of the arms race, the Foreign Affairs Ministry's spokeswoman has said.
A White House official said on Friday the US may increase deployment of strategic nuclear weapons in coming years to deter threats from China, Russia and other nations.
"Yesterday the president [of Russia Vladimir Putin] said everything, there is a nuclear doctrine. If there is a need for its modification, some amendments will be adopted." Foreign Affairs Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on the sidelines of the St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). "There are relevant arsenals. I think that it was the White House's reaction to the questions of [the US] public on why the US possesses less of such arsenals."
Washington is once again using Russia-related isues to solve internal problems, indicating US deficiencies, Zakharova noted.
She added that Washington should make announcements based to their national interests rather than short-term political expediency.
Russia never ceased to engage in dialogue with the nuclear states, the spokesperson said.
"We have always declared that even in the most difficult situations there is room for a dialogue and have consistently demonstrated a similar approach in practice," Zakharova added "There is no point in calling on us to engage in dialogue; we have never refused to do it. This is part of our foreign policy concept."
"Perhaps [UN Secretary General] Mr [Antonio] Guterres should call to engage in dialogue those who deliberately refused to do it and, what is more, prohibited others from conducting this dialogue," she continued. "Because the United States not only refused [to negotiate], it forces other countries to refuse negotiations."
Guterres said on Friday during the annual meeting of the Arms Control Association in Washington that the world's nuclear powers must step back from the precipice and resume dialogue dialogue on arms control.
“We need to move back from the nuclear brink,” Guterres said, stressing that disarmament must start immediately with all countries involved. “But nuclear weapons states must lead the way. They must resume dialogue.”
In response to a question during the plenary session at SPIEF about the potential use of weapons of mass destruction, Putin referred to Russia’s nuclear doctrine.
“Everything is written there,” he noted. “Its use is possible in exceptional cases: in case of a threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. I do not consider that such a case has occurred.”
Russia does not need nuclear weapons to achieve victory, the president asserted with confidence, when it has the Russian spirit.
The president also expressed hope that the world will never reach the point of nuclear war.