Russian Ambassador: US has no right to 'lecture' on nuclear threat

The Russian Ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, said that the United States criticized Russia's possible withdrawal of ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), even though Washington itself refused to ratify the treaty.

According to Ambassador Antonov, the US should not “lecture others about the threats of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty”, because for more than 25 years they have “slowed down the process by refusing to ratify it, leaving the Treaty ineffective to this day”.

“The United States has declared its commitment to a moratorium on nuclear tests, but maintains its military nuclear infrastructure, including the Nevada test site, in a state of constant operational readiness. It seems that the United States is still considering the possibility of conducting full-scale tests,” the Russian ambassador said.

According to Mr. Anotov, Russia ratified the CTBT in 2000 and, like most other countries, is waiting for the United States to take a similar step, to prove that it is a “responsible nuclear power.”

“The expectations were in vain. Washington’s attitude forced us to take steps to restore the balance in nuclear weapons testing. Violation of global strategic equality is unacceptable,” Ambassador Anatoly Antonov stressed.

Earlier, speaking at the Valdai International Discussion Club, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that the country should consider revoking the CTBT ratification, as the US had signed but not ratified it: “I am not ready to say whether we really need to conduct nuclear tests, but theoretically, we can behave like the US.”

Just hours after President Putin's announcement, Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin said that the heads of Russia's legislature will quickly consider the need to revoke the ratification of the CTBT.