The chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin announced in his Telegram channel about the intention to discuss the issue of recalling the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) of 1996 at the next meeting of the State Duma Council. Russia ratified this document in 2000.
The reason for this step was yesterday's speech by President Vladimir Putin at the plenary session of the International Discussion Club "Valdai", related to the security issues of Russia and testing of the latest samples of weapons with a nuclear component.
Volodin noted that the president raised an "important issue", and the appearance of such weapons, like "Burevestnik" and "Sarmat" "is important for ensuring the security of our country".
As for the CTBT, "today's challenges require new solutions" and the question of withdrawing the ratification of the treaty will be considered soon.
This is in line with the national interests of our state. And it will be a mirror response to the USA, which have not yet ratified the treaty.
Chairman of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin
What exactly did the President of Russia say about nuclear tests?
Speaking at the plenary session of "Valdai", Vladimir Putin was answering a question from one of the club's founders Sergey Karaganov, an honored professor, scientific director of the faculty of world economics and world politics of the HSE University, honorary chairman of the Presidium of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy.
Karaganov was interested in whether Russia is going to change the doctrine of the use of nuclear weapons and its application policy in the current geopolitical situation.
In response to this, the head of state said that he "does not see the need" to change the use doctrine of nuclear weapons. But the issue of Russia's return to nuclear tests can be discussed: the USA signed the CTBT, but did not ratify it, while Russia both signed and ratified the document.
Therefore, the country does not currently conduct the corresponding tests of the special warhead of the new intercontinental missile "Burevestnik" with a nuclear unit and the new heavy-duty "Sarmat" missile.
I am not ready to say now whether we really need or do not need to conduct tests. But to behave in a mirror-like manner in relations with the United States, repeating again, when the United States signed but did not ratify, and we signed and ratified, – it is possible in principle to behave in a mirror-like manner with the same United States. But this is a question for the deputies of the State Duma. Theoretically, it is possible to recall this ratification. If we do this, that will be quite enough.
President of Russia Vladimir Putin
Political scientists have already begun to express their views on this matter. In particular, Alexei Fenenko, associate professor of the Department of International Security of the Faculty of World Politics at Lomonosov Moscow State University, in a conversation with RIA "Novosti" recalled that Russia has retained the right to withdraw from the treaty if it threatens national security.
Fenenko also recalled that a number of nuclear powers, such as China, India, Pakistan, did not sign the CTBT. They simply took on voluntary obligations to refuse to conduct nuclear tests and fulfill them.