The countries of the “nuclear five” discussed the reduction of strategic risks

Foreign and Defense Ministry experts from Russia, the US, China, France and the UK discussed strategic risk reduction and nuclear doctrine in Cairo on June 13-14. About it reported at the press office of the US State Department.

“The US-sponsored working meeting between China, France, the Russian Federation and the UK was held in Cairo on June 13-14. Experts from the relevant foreign and defense ministries discussed strategic risk reduction, as well as nuclear doctrines and policies in this area,” the ministry said.

The consultations were organized by the United States, which now chairs “the dialogue among the five nuclear powers.” It is specified that the American delegation at this working meeting included employees of the State Department, the Pentagon and the National Nuclear Security Administration under the US Department of Energy. Details of the discussion were not given in the statement.

“Kommersant” clarifiedthat, as part of the discussion of reducing strategic risks, the member countries of the five are looking for mutually acceptable solutions in order to reduce the risks of an armed conflict between countries with a nuclear arsenal. It is clarified that among the ways to reduce risks are “measures to increase mutual understanding, transparency and predictability, improve communication channels, crisis prevention and crisis management mechanisms, as well as military-political agreements that reduce the potential for conflict in relations between nuclear powers.”

On June 5, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia remains open to dialogue on nuclear arms control. Thus, he commented on the statement by US national security adviser Jake Sullivan that the United States ready develop an arms control agreement for the period after 2026, and until then they will continue to comply with the Strategic Offensive Arms Treaty (START), if Russia does so.

At the beginning of 2023, Russia announced the suspension of participation in the latest Russian-American arms control treaty – START. Russian President Vladimir Putin motivated this decision by the fact that under the conditions of a special military operation, US inspections of Russian enterprises and other facilities could be used to the detriment of Russia’s interests.