MOSCOW ― Russia will keep dialogue lines open with nuclear powers, but will respond accordingly if the United States deploys more strategic nuclear weapons, foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Saturday.
Her comments to state news agency RIA followed a statement from Russian president Vladimir Putin yesterday that the country could make adjustments to its nuclear doctrine.
“We did not stop any dialogue with anyone. We did not cut ties. We did not, by the way, cut energy ties. We did not cut off dialogue platforms,” Zakharova said.
“We have always declared that even in the most difficult situations there is room for dialogue … Therefore, there is no sense in calling us to dialogue, we have never refused it.”
This outlined a policy shift aimed at pressing Moscow and Beijing to reverse rejections of US calls for arsenal limitation talks.
Putin, in his speech yesterday, said that he did not rule out changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, which sets out the conditions under which such weapons could be used.
If necessary, Putin said, Russia could test a nuclear weapon, adding that he saw no need to do so at the present time.
Since Putin ordered troops into Ukraine in February 2022, he has said on several occasions that Russia would use such weapons if necessary to defend itself ― comments the West says are nuclear sabre-rattling.
“Yesterday the president said everything. There is a nuclear doctrine. If there is a need to adjust it, adjustments will be made,” Zakharova said.
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