MOSCOW, October 22. /TASS/. The hostile policies of NATO countries could lead to a head-on clash between nuclear powers, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stated.
"Among the corresponding negative factors, we particularly highlight the hostile policies of NATO countries, which could lead to a head-on clash between nuclear powers, as well as the development by this self-proclaimed nuclear alliance of so-called joint nuclear missions, including the expansion of the geographic reach of the US nuclear presence in Europe and the range of countries delegated to deliver US special munitions to targets," he said.
Ryabkov was speaking at a session as part of the webinar series "The History and Present of Russian Nuclear Policy and Public Diplomacy in the Nuclear Sphere," sponsored by the Center for Energy and Security with the support of the Presidential Grants Foundation.
Among other dangerous NATO steps, the deputy minister noted the development of a global and multi-domain US missile defense system and the associated anti-missile defense domes of other Western countries.
"The West is building up high-precision long-range capabilities for so-called preemptive disarmament strikes, including the forward deployment of ground-based intermediate-and shorter-range missiles. Of course, there are plans by the US and several of its allies to deploy weapons into space, turning it into a combat environment," Ryabkov said.
"The mentioned factors not only create serious obstacles to constructive dialogue on nuclear disarmament and arms control, but also forces other states, including Russia, to adopt compensatory military-technical measures," the senior diplomat concluded.