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Russian diplomat accuses G7 of distorting facts in statement on nuclear security

Sergey Ryabkov noted that Russia would study the statement and draw the necessary conclusions

MOSCOW, May 22. /TASS/. The Group of Seven (G7) countries’ joint statement on nuclear security distorts actual facts, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told reporters on Monday.

He pointed out that Moscow had duly registered and taken into account the G7 joint statement on nuclear security.

"There are a number of issues where Western countries - in their trademark sloppy, slapdash way of formulating things - have distorted certain aspects of the situation as it actually exists," Ryabkov said.

He added that Russia would study the statement and draw the necessary conclusions.

The G7 countries adopted a statement during their summit in Hiroshima, Japan, on May 20, expressing their "commitment to achieving a world without nuclear weapons" and calling for the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The day before, the G7 leaders released a separate statement, saying that "the overall decline in global nuclear arsenals achieved since the end of the Cold War must continue and not be reversed." They also criticized Russia, particularly condemning its decision to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus, and also slammed Russia’s "irresponsible nuclear rhetoric," repeating allegations that have been refuted on numerous occasions by Moscow.