WASHINGTON, February 18. /TASS/. The United States should begin negotiations with Russia and China aimed at strengthening confidence-building measures in order to prevent the resumption of nuclear testing, Daryl Kimball, Executive Director of the American Arms Control Association, said in an interview with TASS, commenting on the Washington administration’s allegations that Russia and China had conducted low-yield nuclear tests.
"The US should take any credible evidence that Russia or China are conducting secret nuclear tests to the test ban treaty's governing body and pursue technical talks with China and Russia on mutual confidence building measures to detect and deter any future very-low yield nuclear tests as senior US officials proposed in 2023," Kimball stated.
The expert emphasized that "any US resumption of testing in response to such allegations would not only be technically unnecessary but counterproductive because it would set off a chain reaction of nuclear testing by other nuclear-armed states." Furthermore, according to him, this "would violate U.S. obligations as a signatory to the CTBT." "Any violation of the CTBT would be a serious matter," the expert noted. The ACA, which Kimball heads, was founded in 1971. Based in Washington, it is one of the most prominent US NGOs focused on strengthening international arms control, nonproliferation, and disarmament regimes.
On February 17, US Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control Christopher Yeaw alleged that Russia and China conducted low-yield nuclear tests in recent years, including one in China on June 22, 2020, near Lake Lobnor. CTBTO Executive Secretary Robert Floyd stated the organization cannot confirm this.
In November 2025, the White House announced the Pentagon was instructed to resume nuclear testing, claiming other countries were engaged in such activities. Russian President Vladimir Putin noted Moscow strictly adheres to its CTBT obligations and will continue until another country tests.
The US previously accused Russia of testing in 2019 without evidence. The CTBTO Preparatory Commission confirmed Russia’s moratorium compliance, and Moscow rejected the accusations as unfounded.