Speaking to reporters today about the conclusion of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Moscow, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov demanded that the U.S. and NATO stop escalating the Ukraine crisis. Ryabkov was addressing a Valdai expert discussion on “A World Without START: What’s Next?”
“Addressing our strategic adversaries [i.e., the U.S. and NATO], the leaders of Russia and China are calling for a de-escalation, a stabilization, and a return to dialogue while seeking a balance of interests and strategic stability,” Ryabkov said. “But the United States has rejected the need for dialogue with Russia, specifically on strategic stability.”
Referring to documents of the meetings between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, he said: “The documents adopted during the visit contain the most essential statements, including those on the inadmissibility of unleashing a nuclear war or deploying nukes outside national territory. This is a direct message to the United States,” he emphasized, reported TASS.
He added that the documents make clear to the U.S. that its attempts to not just deploy tactical nuclear weapons in Europe but upgrade them for NATO’s more enhanced integration in the sphere through holding joint nuclear drills, are “the opposite path” to what’s needed
In answer to a question by TASS on continuing U.S. escalation in Ukraine, Ryabkov replied, “We call on the U.S. side not to escalate,” adding: “They consider supplying the Kiev regime with even more lethal, longer-range, modern sophisticated systems. Thus, the United States once again shows itself as a party directly involved in the conflict.” He also pointed out that the U.S. Congress didn’t even realize “what consequences such an initiative could lead to for the security of the U.S.-led NATO and for any chances of potentially normalizing relations with Washington.”
As for arms control talks between Russia and the United States, they are non-existent, he stated. “There are simply no negotiations in the literal sense of the word. And they are absent due to the fact that the U.S. has such a destructive position, the position of denying the need for dialogue with Russia, in particular on strategic stability,” he said.
When asked if Russia believes it is essential to include China in arms control talks, Ryabkov responded: “Where do you see these talks?” He mentioned the current format of the “nuclear five,” where experts met not long ago. “They [experts] talked about lowering nuclear risks. There are well-defined formats for discussing doctrinal elements of nuclear weapons. This is significant, valuable, and beneficial, and the People’s Republic of China is fully involved in it. Some time ago, China came forward as a coordinator of this effort in this format.” (https://valdaiclub.com/multimedia/video/the-world-without-the-start-treaty/)
On March 21, in an interview with Channel 1, Ryabkov vowed that Russia will not allow NATO to become the world’s dominant power, TASS reported. “NATO is seeking to change the balance of power for its own benefit, claiming global hegemony. We will not permit it to do so,” he said. “This is the rationale for strengthening our cooperation with China, including in the area of security…. And, this is the rationale for our decision to suspend the New START Treaty.”
“Should anyone in the West be willing to come to an understanding, then we would be seeking to balance these interests,” Ryabkov added. “But we see nothing of the kind. We see [only] attempts to impose unilateral approaches on us, on China, and on all others.”
