Does the US want to exert nuclear pressure on Russia and China?
According to RT, a senior US government official told Semafor that the country is preparing to announce changes to its nuclear weapons policy on June 7.
Sources indicate that Washington is preparing to adopt a "more competitive approach," reportedly after Russia and China ignored calls for negotiations on nuclear non-proliferation and arms control. Washington wants to show Moscow and Beijing that they "will face a deteriorating security environment if they continue to refuse to participate."
The official revealed very few details about the changes, only saying that developing a new version of the nuclear gravity bomb is part of a U.S. strategy. Washington also wants key allies to have better long-range strike and surveillance capabilities.
Several measures are being planned in anticipation of U.S. President Joe Biden winning a second term and addressing the expiration of the New START treaty in 2026. This is the last remaining bilateral agreement that limits the nuclear arsenals of the U.S. and Russia. Last year, Russia officially suspended its participation in New START, citing hostile U.S. policies, but stated it would abide by the core provisions of the agreement aimed at limiting nuclear weapons and delivery systems.
According to the source, the official announcement will be made by Pranay Vaddi of the US National Security Council.
Semafor is a media company founded in 2022 by former New York Times journalist Ben Smith and former Bloomberg Media CEO Justin Smith.
Moscow has accused the U.S. of deliberately undermining the Soviet-era treaty system for the control and reduction of strategic weapons. This process began under President George W. Bush, who in 2002 lifted the ban on the development of national anti-ballistic missile systems. His administration claimed that the 1972 ABM Treaty prevented the U.S. from defending itself against “rogue states.”
According to RT, tensions could escalate further as the US-backed plan to equip Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets is implemented. These US-developed aircraft are capable of deploying the country's nuclear gravity bombs. Washington currently deploys some of these weapons in non-nuclear NATO countries, including Belgium, which has pledged to contribute some jets to Kyiv. Russian officials argue that any F-16 operated by Ukraine should be considered capable of being equipped with nuclear weapons.
Amid the Ukraine conflict, Moscow has proposed a plan similar to NATO's nuclear-sharing mechanism by transferring a portion of its nuclear arsenal to its ally and neighbor, Belarus. Last month, both countries announced military exercises aimed at demonstrating their respective militaries' ability to deploy non-strategic nuclear weapons.
