Putin signed Russia’s withdrawal from the nuclear test ban treaty

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law this Thursday that cancels Russia’s ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Moscow argues that Russia’s move is only aimed at aligning the country with the United States, which signed the treaty but never ratified it. Created in 1996, the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty aims to ban all nuclear weapons testing.

Even though Russia signed the law, Russian diplomats say the country will not resume nuclear testing until Washington does so, and ensure that the measure will not change Russia’s nuclear posture.

Western arms control experts are concerned about the possibility of Russia conducting a nuclear test to intimidate other countries.

Andrei Baklitsky, a researcher at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, said Putin’s announcement that Russia would withdraw from the treaty was part of a “slippery slope” toward the resumption of trials.

“We don’t know what steps will follow, but we know where this path ends. And we don’t want to go there,” added Andrei Baklitsky, quoted by Reuters.

On October 5 this year, Vladimir Putin said he was not ready to answer whether Russia would resume nuclear testing after some security experts called for a nuclear bomb test to serve as a warning to the West.

Robert Floyd, director of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, condemned Russia’s move: “The Russian Federation’s decision to withdraw ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty is deeply disappointing and deeply regrettable,” he said. agency Reuters.

The approval of the law was published on the official website of the Russian government. The Russian parliament has already approved this measure.