MOSCOW, March 22. /TASS/. In determining the fate of the strategic arms reduction treaty (New START) Russia will take into account the ability of the United States, France and Britain to jointly use their nuclear potentials against Moscow, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has said.
"We can no longer ignore the factor of the combined arsenal of the United States, Britain and France. Amid the current realities, in determining the fate of New START we will without fail take into account the ability of these countries to jointly use their nuclear potentials against Russia," Ryabkov said during the discussion entitled A World without START: What’s Next? on the platform of the international discussion club Valdai.
Ryabkov pointed out that these countries, affiliated with NATO, are increasingly acting as a common anti-Russian front and declare their intention to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in his message to the Federal Assembly on February 21 that Moscow was suspending participation in the New START treaty, but not quitting it altogether. He emphasized that before resuming a discussion of further activities under the treaty, the Russian side must have a clear understanding how the New START will take into account the arsenals of not only the United States, but also of other NATO nuclear powers - Britain and France. On March 1, Putin signed a law suspending Russia's participation in New START.