Overview
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said no directive has been issued to start preparing nuclear tests, reaffirming Russia’s commitments under the test ban and noting parity could be considered if another state violates it.
- Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that work is underway to implement Putin’s instruction to draft proposals for a potential Russian test, and he reported no formal clarifications from Washington.
- Russia’s UN ambassador Vasily Nebenzya called President Donald Trump’s recent comments on possible U.S. nuclear testing very serious and said Moscow must be ready if Washington resumes tests.
- Trump stated in late October that he directed the Pentagon to begin nuclear weapons tests on par with other powers, while the U.S. Energy Secretary later described planned activities as non‑nuclear component testing.
- Any move toward live nuclear testing would break a decades‑long de facto moratorium and deepen concerns about eroding arms‑control norms.