MOSCOW, April 25. /TASS/. The volume of military expenditures worldwide indicates that a new arms race between Russia and the United States is already underway, said Fyodor Voytolovsky, Director of the Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, during a plenary session of the Science and Expert Council of the Russian Security Council.
"The global dynamics of military spending suggest that, unfortunately, we are already in the phase of a new arms race. The United States seeks to maintain global military dominance over the long term, explicitly naming two primary objectives in its strategic planning documents: containing Russia and deterring China," Voytolovsky stated.
He emphasized that Russia remains either the second or an equal first in terms of nuclear capabilities, establishing it as a key guarantor of peace and a pillar of global stability. "Regarding new technological advancements, as we know, Russia is significantly ahead of the United States, including in the development of both strategic and non-strategic nuclear capabilities," he added.
Voytolovsky acknowledged the challenges in US-Russia relations but underscored the role of nuclear weapons in safeguarding national security. "We understand that relations with the United States are not easy, but we realize that the possession of nuclear weapons remains one of the most important safeguards of security, strategic stability, and the ability to respond to any aggression against our country," he said.