SAEDNEWS: Russia has no intention of pushing China toward potential trilateral talks with the US on arms control, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said in an interview with International Affairs magazine.
Russia has no issues with China regarding arms control and strategic stability and will not yield to external pressure to involve Beijing in hypothetical trilateral efforts, TASS reported. “This is not in our interests, and we will not engage in it,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, commenting on potential nuclear stability talks involving the US, Russia, and China.
Ryabkov noted that Russia has not received any official proposals from the United States regarding such a trilateral dialogue. “Proposals on this topic were made during Donald Trump’s first term. Under the current administration, however, we have not formally received any, likely because the Americans understand our position and logic: our relationship with China is unique in depth and trust,” he explained.
The diplomat stressed that if arms control talks expand to a multilateral format, they should include the US’s European allies with nuclear capabilities. “If we are to be consistent in reiterating our position — that arms control efforts must take a multilateral character — then these efforts should include the US’s closest allies: the United Kingdom and France, who currently demonstrate aggressive intentions. Their deeply anti-Russian policy is obvious and openly declared,” Ryabkov said.
He concluded, “For us, moving beyond bilateral discussions on arms control leaves no alternative but to involve the US’s European nuclear allies in these efforts.”
