Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister
Warns of Another Cuban Missile Crisis
Dave DeCamp / AntiWar.com
(December 27, 2021) —As the US and Russia are preparing to hold security talks in January, Russian officials continue to criticize Washington’s military posture. On Monday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov accused the US of lowering the threshold for the possible use of nuclear weapons.
“We in Moscow are committed to raising the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. An opposite trend has been seen in the United States over the recent years, with the means for nuclear destruction appearing to be perceived more and more as a battlefield weapon. This is a dangerous trend,” Ryabkov said, according to Russia’s Tass news agency.
Ryabkov warned the US attitude towards nuclear weapons risks leading to an incident similar to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, something he said must not happen. Russian leaders have repeatedly warned the US against deploying missiles to Ukraine that could target Moscow and are seeking guarantees that Washington would refrain from such a provocation.
Ryabkov said Russia wants to resolve these issues through negotiations. “Today, as it seems to me, political and diplomatic tools should be used first and foremost to settle this situation,” he said. Ryabkov added that Russia outlined “how to settle” these issues in the security proposals it submitted to the US.
Like other Russian officials, Ryabkov stressed that the US must take its security proposals seriously. Also on Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said talks on the proposals will begin immediately after Russia’s new year holiday season, which lasts through January 9th.
US Displaying Dangerous Trend of
Lowering Threshold for Use of Nukes
MOSCOW (December 27, 2021) — Unlike Moscow, Washington has been exhibiting a dangerous tendency towards simplifying the circumstances for the possible use of nuclear weapons, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov noted in an interview published in the International Affairs journal on Monday.
“We in Moscow are committed to raising the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons. An opposite trend has been seen in the United States over the recent years, with the means for nuclear destruction appearing to be perceived more and more as a battlefield weapon. This is a dangerous trend,” the senior Russian diplomat stressed.
This view of the use of nuclear potential undermines strategic stability, Ryabkov specified. “I believe that we are close to a point, beyond which diplomacy would play a subordinate role, despite all of its skills. Today, as it seems to me, political and diplomatic tools should be used first and foremost to settle this situation. And we outlined [in the Russia-proposed security guarantees] how to settle it. We urge that this issue should be taken seriously,” the high-ranking Russian diplomat said.
What was known as the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 must not recur in the way it took place, Ryabkov emphasized.
“This is simply because humankind, including Moscow and Washington, also draws lessons from what happens. There is enormous experience in arms control and there has been significant progress in the development of doctrines and concepts on employing nuclear weapons,” he pointed out.
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