Russian Ambassador-at-large Andrey Belousov on Sunday accused the United States of viewing Europe as a potential nuclear battlefield.<\/p>\n
Speaking in an interview with the Russian\u00a0RT\u00a0<\/em>TV channel, Belousov said the persistence with which Washington is trying to initiate discussions on Russian non-strategic nuclear weapons suggests that the US is seriously considering the possibility of using nuclear weapons in the European theatre\u00a0of operations.<\/p>\n “And, essentially, they view Europe as such a potential military theatre,” he said.<\/p>\n Belousov argued that by urging Russia to engage in a dialogue on non-strategic nuclear arsenal, the US is trying to divert international attention from the risks posed by American nuclear weapons deployed in Europe and Washington\u2019s broader missile and nuclear programs.<\/p>\n Read:\u00a0<\/strong>Revolver gift leaves NATO leaders with dilemma<\/a><\/p>\n The official said obtaining information about Russia\u2019s non-strategic nuclear weapons through greater transparency measures, or reducing or eliminating the arsenal, could increase the likelihood of a nuclear-use scenario involving the US and its\u00a0European allies<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI hope that Europe will recognise the danger of Washington\u2019s purely operational-military approach to the territory of its allies,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n According to Belousov, the deployment of US nuclear weapons in European NATO countries and NATO\u2019s \u201cnuclear sharing\u201d arrangements have long been a concern for Moscow.<\/p>\n The expansion of such arrangements, including the involvement of additional NATO members in exercises related to the potential use of nuclear weapons, was increasing risks to Russia\u2019s security, he said.<\/p>\n Belousov said Russia had reduced its non-strategic nuclear arsenal by four times in the early 1990s and moved the remaining weapons to centralised storage facilities, saying Moscow had expected reciprocal steps from Washington.<\/p>\n The diplomat argued that subsequent US moves had not fundamentally changed the military-political situation in Europe.<\/p>\n Read More:\u00a0<\/strong>Alliance by footnote<\/a><\/p>\n He also said the collapse of arms-control and nuclear-disarmament agreements, combined with US plans to develop a multilayered missile-defence system under the \u201cGolden Dome\u201d program and modernise its nuclear forces, had significantly worsened the strategic environment.<\/p>\n Belousov said Russia was seeking to initiate an international discussion on what it considers the destabilising nature of NATO\u2019s nuclear-sharing arrangements and to encourage the\u00a0US to withdraw<\/a>\u00a0its nuclear weapons from Europe.<\/p>\n At the same time, Moscow remained open to resuming a strategic dialogue with Washington, although prospects for mutually acceptable agreements currently appeared limited, he stressed.<\/p>\n Belousov emphasised that any such negotiations should be based on equal and indivisible security and address the broader range of factors affecting strategic stability rather than focusing on individual issues.<\/p>\n Belousov also said Russia would respond to developments in the strategic-arms sphere through a combination of political, diplomatic, and military-technical measures aimed at maintaining strategic balance and addressing potential additional\u00a0threats to its security<\/a>.<\/p>\n Belousov\u2019s comments come as the US continues to maintain nuclear weapons in Europe as part of NATO\u2019s nuclear deterrence arrangements.<\/p>\n