📃Letter to the Editor, The Hill Times Newspaper, by Counsellor Igor Prokopiev (October 21, 2026)
following a panel discussion hosted by the Canadian Network to Abolish Nuclear Weapons and the Canadian Pugwash Group on October 1, 2026
✍️ I had the pleasure of participating in the Oct. 1 panel on nuclear disarmament hosted by the Canadian Network to Abolish Nuclear Weapons and the Canadian Pugwash Group, and would like to highlight Russia’s position that was presented during that discussion as well.
Nuclear disarmament is a noble cause and a goal the international community shall pursue in the long run. Unfortunately, it cannot be treated as a separate issue in a vacuum. Thus, it can be achieved only in a broader context of general and complete disarmament as enshrined in the Non-Proliferation Treaty of which we’re all members and to which we all adhere. And geopolitical context does matter.
🌐 Nuclear disarmament is a derivative of the overall state of international security. So, before proceeding to disarming, trust between various sides has to be rebuilt. Preferably, on the basis of a truly collective, universal, and indivisible security system where security of some cannot be achieved at the expense of the security of others.
☝️Until then, Russia reserves its sovereign right to keep at its disposal strategic arms as strictly defensive means that can only be used as a response. The very limited number of cases is described in Russia’s Fundamentals of State Policy on Nuclear Deterrence.
[...]
We wish the bilateral New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with the United States could last longer, but it has expired. As a sign of a goodwill and responsibility, my government decided to voluntarily observe the treaty limits - given that is done by both parties. Russia seeks neither numerical parity with others nor wishes to engage in a new nuclear arms race. For now, it exercises the principle of reasonable self-sufficiency.
START was a great tool purpose built for its time. But talks on further nuclear reductions require more than Russia and the U.S. First and foremost, it needs the United Kingdom and France as members of NATO that present itself as a nuclear alliance. Without them on board, we cannot have true transparency and predictability of intent.
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