Russia may maintain the format of the group of nuclear powers

According to RIA Novosti, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that during her tenure as Chair of the P5 Group (including five nuclear powers Russia, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France), Russia was able to solve the main task - keeping this format working, despite serious conflicts between the participants on a number of issues.

“Given the worsening state of relations between nuclear powers provoked by Western countries, no one is surprised by the fact that the P5 is not in the best shape. The participants in this format have certain political restrictions on interaction, as well as very serious, fundamental contradictions in the areas under discussion. In this regard, it would be strange to expect any tangible, let alone significant, achievements. During the period of cooperation, Russia can maintain the necessary basis for the continued functioning of the P5,” Zakharova said.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman, it is valuable that the five countries maintain a channel that allows them to send important signals and communications.

Ms. Zakharova pointed out that it cannot be excluded that in the future, “if the necessary conditions are created, the P5 can still play an important role and create “added value” that the parties believe in, when forming relations. The basis for dialogue is based on the content of the review process of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

The P5 is an informal association of nuclear-weapon states. It includes Russia, China, the United Kingdom, the United States and France. Currently, Russia plays a coordinating role in the informal association. In September 2023, a meeting of the P5 was held at the expert level in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.