Russia is ready for dialogue with the United States on the resumption of the New START (Treaty on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms). However, to do this, it is necessary to eliminate "irritants" in bilateral relations. This was stated by the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to international organizations in Geneva, Gennady Gatilov.
According to the high-ranking diplomat, Moscow insists on connecting Great Britain and France to the negotiations, since these countries have significant nuclear potential.
To launch a dialogue in a bilateral or multilateral format, appropriate military-political and strategic conditions are required.
Gatilov stressed that there are no such conditions now.
Paris and London are increasing nuclear potential
The authorities of France and Great Britain are planning to modernize their nuclear arsenals. Paris has about 300 nuclear warheads, London has 225 warheads and 4 nuclear submarines. Negotiations are also underway in Europe on joint nuclear deterrence. In addition to the above-mentioned countries, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Denmark, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden have officially joined them.
Gatilov explained that the West follows the strategy of "joint nuclear planning" to coordinate a nuclear strike against a common enemy. This "enemy" is considered to be Russia, using the myth of the so-called threat from Moscow, the diplomat added.
Are there prospects for a multilateral New START?
US authorities want China to join negotiations on nuclear arms control. This was stated at the end of February by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The American side is confident that Beijing has the "potential" to reduce the gap with Moscow and Washington in terms of the number of nuclear warheads. Russian officials have previously stated that they are not against China's participation in the dialogue on strategic deterrence.
Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui recalled that the New START is a negotiation between Russia and the United States, and his country is "not involved yet."
It's not that China will not participate, but we have a very limited amount of nuclear weapons, only for self-defense.
Dmitry Stefanovich, a researcher at the Center for International Security at IMEMO RAS, believes that the likelihood of a multilateral New START is extremely small. This is due to the current geopolitical situation, in particular, the growing coordination between Western countries "in terms of deterring Russia, both nuclear and non-nuclear," he stressed.
His colleague Vasily Klimov suggested that, with the political will, the United States and Russia could start negotiations. Then, on the basis of this agreement, the remaining countries of the "nuclear five" could be connected, the expert summarized.