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US to announce a more ‘competitive’ nuclear strategy — portal

Washington believes that "Beijing and Moscow have effectively rejected" US proposal to discuss arms control without preconditions, Semafor reported

NEW YORK, June 7. /TASS/. The US administration is set to announce plans to amend its nuclear weapons strategy in order to make it more oriented towards competition with other countries, the Semafor portal wrote citing unnamed sources.

"The Biden administration will announce its intention to embrace a more assertive nuclear weapons strategy on Friday, after China and Russia spurned US efforts to discuss arms control over the past year," the portal said.

It quoted a US official as saying that the administration sees the need "to adopt a more competitive approach to non-proliferation and arms control" in light of rising global tensions and and "to make certain adjustments to our posture and capabilities."

The portal said the plans will be announced by the National Security Council’s Senior Director for Arms Control, Disarmament, and Nonproliferation Pranay Vaddi at an arms control conference on Friday.

In the source’s opinion, Washington believes that "Beijing and Moscow have effectively rejected" US proposal to discuss arms control without preconditions, and, therefore, the Biden administration was forced "to shift its approach."

The article says that the US administration "still hopes to bring its geopolitical rivals to the negotiating table, but wants to show there will be consequences for rebuffing talks." In the source's opinion, Russia and China "will face a diminished security environment if they continue to refuse to engage."

According to the portal, the changes may be related to the development of new types of nuclear bombs and efforts to extend the life of some Ohio-class nuclear submarines. Moreover, the administration may also consider a different evolution strategy for the US nuclear arsenal and ponder on efforts "to ensure that key allies have long-range strike capabilities and surveillance abilities needed to defend themselves."

The portal wrote that the White House is also starting to lay the groundwork for the key nuclear issues Biden would face if he is reelected, including with regard to the New START treaty’s expiry in 2026.

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