Russia Reluctant To Discuss Nuclear Weapons Control During US And West Support Ukraine

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. (Wikimedia Commons/Kremlin.ru)

Russia says it is impossible to discuss nuclear arms control with the United States without considering the situation in Ukraine, criticizing Western support for Kyiv.

In its annual press conference on Thursday Foreign Minister Lavrov said Washington had proposed a separation of the two issues, then continuing negotiations on "strategic stability" between the two countries, which so far have the world's largest nuclear arsenal.

However, Foreign Minister Lavrov said the proposal was unacceptable to Russia because of Western support for Ukraine in the war now nearing the end of its second year.

The absence of dialogue is crucial, because the New START agreement which limits the strategic nuclear warheads of both parties will end in February 2026.

If this agreement is no longer in effect, then the two countries will no longer have remaining nuclear weapons agreements at a time when tensions between them are at their peak, the highest point since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.

"We don't see the slightest interest in the United States or NATO in resolving the Ukraine conflict and listening to Russian concerns," Foreign Minister Lavrov said.

Furthermore, Foreign Minister Lavrov accused the West of encouraging Ukraine to further use long-range weapons, to carry out cross-border attacks on Russian territory.

It said this kind of attack had intensified in recent weeks, including an attack on Belgorod City in the southern part that killed 25 people on December 30.

However, Foreign Minister Lavrov did not provide any evidence of his remarks if the West prompted Ukraine to carry out the attack, but accused the United States of seeking military superiority over Russia.

He said there was no reason to discuss arms control when the West was doing what he called a "hybrid war" against Moscow.

"We do not reject this idea for the future, but we condition this possibility by ignoring Western policies that underestimate and disrespect Russia's interests," Foreign Minister Lavrov said.