The website of the Russian Mission to the United Nations includes the lengthy Statement by a Representative of the delegation of the Russian Federation Svetlana Surchina at the thematic debate on Cluster 1: Nuclear Weapons in the First Committee of the 79th Session of the UNGA, which reads in part:
“The United States, obsessed by the wishful ‘strategic defeat’ of Russia, shows no readiness to engage in a truly comprehensive and equal-footed strategic dialogue based on respect for our core security interests….
“The objective reality is that under current conditions Russia still needs nuclear deterrence to respond to specific and extremely serious external threats. Moreover, the build-up of such threats made Russia to adjust its doctrinal policy provisions to reinforce deterrence….
“We reiterate that the provocative and extremely risky policy of the United States and its allies aimed at radically undermining Russia’s security runs counter to the political obligations under which nuclear powers should prevent nuclear war by avoiding any military confrontation among them while respecting and acknowledging each other’s security interests and concerns.
