On Monday, December 22, 2025, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned that Moscow would respond in kind if the United States resumes nuclear weapons testing.
Ryabkov noted that the United States has yet to reply to Russia’s proposal to continue observing the core limits of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) after its expiration earlier this year.
Signed in 2010 and extended by five years in February 2021, New START caps the number of deployed strategic warheads and delivery systems. It remains the only active nuclear arms control agreement between the two powers.
This past September, President Vladimir Putin told Russia’s Security Council that, provided the U.S. avoids actions undermining strategic stability, Moscow would uphold New START’s core limits for one year beyond the treaty’s expiration.
Previously, U.S. President Donald Trump had stated that the United States would conduct nuclear weapons tests like other countries, though he declined to confirm whether this would involve warhead detonations.
Meanwhile, Dmitry Peskov, press secretary to the Russian president, said in a regular teleconference briefing that Russia is assessing statements by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on President Trump’s plan to verify nuclear weapon safety through testing. Peskov added that if the United States conducts nuclear tests, Russia will be forced to take corresponding actions.
This standoff comes at a critical moment for global arms control, as experts warn that any renewed testing could spark a costly and destabilizing cycle of escalation.
Reference(s):
Russia to respond in kind if U.S. conducts nuclear tests: deputy FM
cgtn.com
