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https://voennoedelo.com/en/posts/id14088-lavrov-us-gives-no-clear-answer-on-nuclear-test-plans

Lavrov: US Gives No Clear Answer on Nuclear Test Plans

Lavrov Says US Has Not Clarified Possible Nuclear Test Plans

Lavrov: US Gives No Clear Answer on Nuclear Test Plans

Russian FM Sergey Lavrov says the US has not clarified statements about possible nuclear test resumption, raising concerns over the future of the testing moratorium.

2026-03-16T19:00:03+03:00

2026-03-16T19:00:03+03:00

2026-03-16T19:00:03+03:00

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the United States has yet to provide a clear explanation regarding the possible resumption of nuclear tests, an idea previously mentioned by U. S. President Donald Trump. Lavrov recalled that in October 2025 Trump publicly instructed the Pentagon chief to examine the possibility of restarting nuclear weapons testing. According to the Russian minister, Washington has not clarified what exactly was meant by that directive or whether it signals a potential withdrawal from the existing moratorium on full-scale nuclear explosions. The foreign minister also pointed to the broader issue surrounding the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). In his view, there are still no real prospects for the treaty to enter into force, largely because the United States has never ratified the agreement. The situation has unfolded against the backdrop of changes in the global arms control framework. On February 5, the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty between Russia and the United States expired. Shortly afterward, U. S. Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control and Nonproliferation Christopher Yoo stated that Washington intends to conduct nuclear tests on an «equal basis» with Moscow and Beijing. At the same time, The Washington Times reported that the United States is effectively abandoning the voluntary moratorium on underground nuclear tests that had been in place since 1996.

Sergey Lavrov, US nuclear tests, nuclear testing moratorium, Donald Trump nuclear tests, CTBT treaty, US Russia arms control, nuclear weapons policy, Washington nuclear plans

2026

John Baker

news

Lavrov Says US Has Not Clarified Possible Nuclear Test Plans

United States Department of Energy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

John Baker, Editor

22:00 16-03-2026

Russian FM Sergey Lavrov says the US has not clarified statements about possible nuclear test resumption, raising concerns over the future of the testing moratorium.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the United States has yet to provide a clear explanation regarding the possible resumption of nuclear tests, an idea previously mentioned by U. S. President Donald Trump.

Lavrov recalled that in October 2025 Trump publicly instructed the Pentagon chief to examine the possibility of restarting nuclear weapons testing. According to the Russian minister, Washington has not clarified what exactly was meant by that directive or whether it signals a potential withdrawal from the existing moratorium on full-scale nuclear explosions.

The foreign minister also pointed to the broader issue surrounding the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). In his view, there are still no real prospects for the treaty to enter into force, largely because the United States has never ratified the agreement.

The situation has unfolded against the backdrop of changes in the global arms control framework. On February 5, the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty between Russia and the United States expired. Shortly afterward, U. S. Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control and Nonproliferation Christopher Yoo stated that Washington intends to conduct nuclear tests on an «equal basis» with Moscow and Beijing.

At the same time, The Washington Times reported that the United States is effectively abandoning the voluntary moratorium on underground nuclear tests that had been in place since 1996.