Senior Russian diplomat warns of growing risk of war between nuclear powers

Lead

Russian officials have issued a series of stark warnings about escalating nuclear risks, pointing to NATO's growing capabilities, the European Union's militarization, and France's nuclear ambitions. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov and other senior figures emphasized that Russia will respond to perceived threats with military and technical means, while cautioning that the chances of armed confrontation among nuclear powers are increasing.

Coverage Comparison

All reports in this article come from TASS, the Russian state news agency, which has extensively covered statements by Russian officials on these matters. The coverage spans several weeks in May, with officials delivering warnings in various forums, including interviews with TASS and international security conferences.

Key Claims

Russia's Readiness to Counter Threats

In an interview with TASS on May 19, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov warned that Russia will use military and technical means to repel any threats. He said that Russia's ability to influence discussions within NATO stems from warnings sent to Western opponents about the risks they are creating and Russia's determination to counter new threats. "We do this regularly in the hope of cooling the 'hot heads' in NATO capitals," he told TASS.

Growing Risk of Nuclear Confrontation

Speaking at a roundtable on strategic stability at the International Security Forum on May 26, Ryabkov said that the chances of nuclear powers engaging in armed confrontation are growing. He attributed this to the "collective West's destructive actions," which he said have created a deep and highly charged rift among the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, all of whom are de jure nuclear powers. "This leads to an escalation of strategic risks... that could result in direct armed conflicts between these countries with potentially catastrophic consequences," he emphasized.

NATO and Russia: Strategic Risks

In a May 19 interview, Ryabkov highlighted the "escalatory narrative" from European capitals about the "looming threat of a high-intensity war" with Russia. He said that strategic risks of a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia are growing, with potentially catastrophic consequences. He also criticized Finland's intention to host nuclear weapons and France and Poland's plans to hold a deterrence exercise over the Baltic Sea, simulating nuclear strikes on Russian targets. "Such steps are being accompanied by hostile anti-Russian rhetoric and are an element of the broader process of Europe's accelerated militarization, directly targeting this country," he added.

NATO's Nuclear Capabilities

Ryabkov told TASS on May 19 that Russia cannot overlook NATO's growing aggregate nuclear capabilities and will take due account in its military planning. He specifically cited France's efforts under its new strategy of "forward nuclear deterrence." "Under the guise of Paris's false claims about ensuring the security of its non-nuclear allies, the exact opposite is happening," he said, adding that countries hosting French nuclear forces would become the focus of closer scrutiny by Russian military planners.

EU and Finland's Nuclear Aspirations

In a May 20 interview, Ryabkov said that the European Union leadership is examining the possibility of becoming a nuclear-armed entity. He also noted that Finland is examining the modalities of nuclear weapons transit through its territory, and that Poland is making "reckless and harmful" overtures regarding nuclear aspirations, which he said are harmful to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

France's Nuclear Ambitions

Russian Ambassador to France Alexey Meshkov, when summoned to the French foreign ministry on May 29, warned that the French government's recent steps in the nuclear domain will cause the overall security situation in Europe to deteriorate. The warning came against the backdrop of French President Emmanuel Macron's statements about employing the "advanced deterrence" doctrine, which envisages joint exercises with partner nations and the deployment of France's strategic forces in other European countries. Macron also announced plans to increase France's nuclear arsenal without disclosing the exact number of warheads.

Escalation as Main International Trend

Sergey Naryshkin, Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, said at the 1st International Security Forum on May 28 that the significant escalation in conflict has become the main international trend. He noted that Europe is attempting to undermine Russia's attempts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, while NATO is consistently building up its military potential on its eastern flank. Naryshkin also made remarks about nuclear deterrence, saying, "the era of nuclear deterrence, thank God, hasn't even begun yet," and advised Western hawks not to test this assertion.

Perspectives

Russian Officials

Russian officials, including Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, Ambassador to France Alexey Meshkov, and Foreign Intelligence Service Director Sergey Naryshkin, uniformly express concern about Western actions, particularly NATO's nuclear capabilities, EU militarization, and France's nuclear ambitions. They frame these actions as creating risks for Russia and Europe, and emphasize Russia's readiness to respond with military and technical means.

Western Actions (as described by Russian officials)

The reports describe Western actions, such as NATO's buildup, EU's potential nuclear status, and France's nuclear strategy, as provocative and destabilizing. These descriptions come solely from Russian officials and are not independently verified in the provided material.