MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin on Thursday signed a bill revoking Russia’s ratification of a global nuclear test ban in order to establish parity with the United States.
Putin has stated that rescinding the ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) would align with the stance taken by the U.S., which has signed but not ratified the treaty.
Both houses of the Russian parliament voted last month to revoke Moscow’s ratification of the CTBT.
The CTBT, adopted in 1996, bans all nuclear explosions worldwide, but it has not been fully implemented as it has yet to be ratified by several countries including China, India, Pakistan, North Korea, Israel, Iran, and Egypt.
There are concerns that Russia may resume nuclear tests to deter the West from providing military support to Ukraine. Some Russian hawks have expressed support for resuming the tests.
Putin has acknowledged that some experts argue for the necessity of conducting nuclear tests but has not formed an opinion on the issue.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated last month that Moscow would continue to respect the ban and would only resume nuclear tests if Washington did so first.
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With President Putin signing the bill revoking Russia’s ratification of the global nuclear test ban treaty, tensions between Russia and the United States further escalate. This move by Putin is seen as a way for Russia to establish parity with the U.S., which has signed but not ratified the treaty. The international community has expressed concerns about the possibility of Russia resuming nuclear tests, especially as the conflict in Ukraine continues. While some Russian hawks support the resumption of tests, it remains to be seen how this decision will impact global nuclear disarmament efforts and the overall stability of the international order.
