Lucrezia Ciotti Tensions between the United States and Russia are reaching new heights following Donald Trump 's announcement of the resumption of nuclear testing. Moscow is reacting with alarm, speaking of an appropriate response, while the planned summit between the US president and Putin to discuss the war in Ukraine appears to be edging further away.
The nuclear challenge between the United States and Russia
The possibility of a summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine appears increasingly remote, while the United States has announced the resumption of nuclear tests , suspended for nearly thirty years. In an interview with 60 Minutes , Trump highlighted the superiority of the American arsenal compared to Russia and China and emphasized the importance of denuclearization and global deterrence, recalling that the United States possesses weapons capable of destroying the planet.
"This is a very important issue. We have enough nuclear weapons to blow up the world 150 times over."
The decision to reactivate the tests was motivated by the need to not remain the only country not to experiment with new technologies , considering that Russia, China and North Korea continue their nuclear experiments.
Experts assume that the American tests will involve missiles and systems with nuclear capability, but without actual explosions.
Nuclear tests and global tensions: the Trump-Putin summit is increasingly distant.
Russia's response was swift: Putin instructed government officials and security services to prepare countermeasures and reiterated that Russia would take appropriate measures if the United States proceeded with the tests. Defense Minister Andrei Belousov specified that preparations could begin quickly on the Arctic archipelago of Novaya Zemlya, historically used for nuclear tests.
While maintaining the moratorium in force since 1990, Moscow confirmed its compliance with the commitments of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.
The escalation of tensions has also forced the postponement of the Trump-Putin summit: according to Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, a high-level meeting requires more stable diplomatic conditions and thorough preparation, which are currently lacking.