Russian Diplomat: Risk Of Nuclear War Must Be Minimized, Prevent Armed Conflict

JAKARTA - A Russian Foreign Ministry official said his country believes the risk of nuclear war should be minimized, with armed conflict between nuclear powers being prevented, according to the TASS News Agency.

Vladimir Yermakov, the Foreign Ministry's head of nuclear non-proliferation, said all nuclear powers should adhere to the logic laid out in official documents aimed at preventing nuclear war.

Yermakov was quoted on Saturday as saying the leading nuclear powers must adhere to the logic enshrined in the document they co-created.

He was referring to a joint statement published in January by Russia, China, Britain, the United States and France, in which the five countries, which are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, agreed the further deployment of nuclear weapons and nuclear war should be avoided.

"The risk of nuclear war, which must not be unleashed, must be minimized, in particular by preventing armed conflict between the nuclear powers," Yermakov said.

"Russia clearly follows this understanding," he said.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that Western countries should not underestimate the increased risk of a nuclear conflict in Ukraine. Although the United States later said it did not believe there was a threat from Russia using nuclear weapons, there was an escalation in Moscow's rhetoric.