Putin's Envoy Raises Concern Over 'Steadily Growing' Risks Of Nuclear War With US

A senior Russian diplomat on Tuesday warned of growing risks of a direct military confrontation between Moscow and the U.S.

What Happened: Russian Foreign Ministry’s Head of Nuclear Non-proliferation Vladimir Yermakov told TASS that the President Joe Biden-led administration is escalating the risks through its conduct with Vladimir Putin's government. 

“If the United States continues to follow its current course of confrontation with Russia, with the stakes constantly escalating on the verge of sliding into direct armed conflict, then the fate of START (nuclear arms treaty) may be a foregone conclusion,” Yermakov said.

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“The most acute threat today is associated…with the danger of nuclear escalation as a result of a direct military confrontation between nuclear powers,” Yermakov said, adding, “And these risks, to the deepest regret, are steadily growing.”

This came after Washington last month told Moscow that it would stop sharing certain information about its nuclear capabilities, as Russia had declined to reciprocate. This decision was made in response to Putin's decision to halt Russia's participation in the New START treaty.

Why It Matters: Since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine, Putin's officials have regularly been making accusations against the U.S. and its Western allies, which it refers to as the “collective West,” for escalating the risk of a nuclear conflict. Moscow aims to dissuade Kyiv’s allies from intervening in the ongoing war.

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