While maintaining the current US course of confrontation with Russia with an increase in stakes on the verge of bringing to a direct armed conflict, the fate of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) may be a foregone conclusion. Such a statement made Director of the Department for Nonproliferation and Arms Control of the Russian Foreign Ministry Vladimir Ermakov.

“If events develop according to the worst-case scenario, that is, if Washington brings the situation to a military clash between the two largest nuclear powers, it will be necessary to worry rather not about saving START, but about the fate of the whole world.

Now the most acute threat is associated not so much with the dynamics of incentives for the first massive strike, but with the danger of nuclear escalation as a result of a direct military confrontation between nuclear powers, these risks are steadily growing.

Russia constantly points out the danger of the actions of the US and NATO, which are plunged into the illusion of impunity, do not hear calls to prevent a catastrophe, and deliberately distort them for propaganda purposes.

To improve the situation, the US must take concrete steps to de-escalate and completely abandon the hostile line to undermine Russia’s security, there is no other way”, - said the diplomat.