Declares Not Joining Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty, Russia: Too Early And Counterproductive

Illustrated rudal ICBM Russia. (Wikimedia Commons / Dmitry Terekhov)

JAKARTA - Russia will not join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Friday.

He made this comment after the conclusion of the first conference of the countries participating in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

According to him, the resolute progress of the treaty deepened divisions between countries and weakened the regime of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

"With regard to the desire to permanently place efforts to universalize the TPNW, as noted in the final document of the conference, we emphasize: Russia does not intend to join this agreement," Zakharova was quoted as saying by TASS June 25.

"Believe that the treaty does not establish any universal agreement, neither now nor in the future."

According to Zakharova, Moscow continues to stick to its stance, the development of the TPNW is premature, wrong and, in fact, counterproductive. This treaty does nothing to reduce the growing nuclear risk.

In addition, the treaty is also considered not to bring humanity one step closer to the goals stated in it, and the approach set out in the TPNW only leads to an increase in contradictions between nuclear and non-nuclear countries.

The agreement does not take into account the military-political and military-strategic situation and goes against the principle that nuclear disarmament should be carried out in such a way that it will lead to an increase in the level of security for all, according to Zakharova.

"We do not see a realistic way to implement, or practical action to directly reduce nuclear weapons," the diplomat continued.

"Russia, like all other countries with military nuclear potential, did not take part in the conference of TPNW participating countries and does not intend to do so in the future. Nor do we plan to establish cooperation with additional structures, created as part of the participant interactions TPNW to implement it," he concluded.