Russia accuses the US of advancing militarily towards its borders.
Moscow denounces a direct threat to its security and says the Russian response is proportionate to NATO's actions.
247 - Russia has once again escalated its rhetoric against the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), accusing them of intensifying their military presence near its borders. According to a TASS report, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated that US military systems are being positioned in strategic areas that represent "a direct impact on Russia's security," which, in Moscow's view, requires retaliatory measures.
Ryabkov stated that the movement of troops and military equipment by Washington and its Atlantic allies is forcing Russia to reconsider old commitments, including the suspension of the moratorium on the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe. "Everything Moscow does in terms of weapons deployment is a reaction to the actions of the Americans and their allies," said the deputy minister.
The diplomat stressed that the Kremlin's objective is to "cool down the heated tempers in NATO countries" in the face of the military escalation, abandoning commitments it considers unbalanced in a scenario of increasing Western pressure.
Although he did not give details, Ryabkov mentioned that Russia possesses state-of-the-art weaponry in addition to the already known Oreshnik hypersonic systems, signaling that the country maintains a modern and diversified arsenal capable of responding to any threat.
The deputy minister was categorical in stating that, in the current context, it is not appropriate to speak of détente between Moscow and Washington. "In the current reality, it is not appropriate to use the term détente to describe bilateral relations," he declared. For him, the most urgent thing is to have "the political will to lower the temperature in international relations."
Despite the critical tone, Ryabkov admitted that he perceives "the first signs of common sense" in the dialogue between the two countries after years of diplomatic deterioration. Still, he warned that "the risk of a nuclear conflict in the world is not diminishing," and expressed concern about the possibility of control over strategic arsenals disappearing completely when the New START Treaty, which limits the number of nuclear warheads and strategic launchers held by Russia and the United States, expires.
The statements reinforce the climate of mutual distrust and come at a time when, according to US officials, there are discussions about a possible agreement to end the conflict in Ukraine based on the current line of contact — a proposal recently mentioned by Republican Senator JD Vance, an ally of US President Donald Trump.
Historic context
The Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (FACE) was signed in 1990, at the end of the Cold War, with the aim of reducing and balancing conventional forces between NATO and the then Warsaw Pact, preventing large-scale military offensives on the continent. Russia suspended its participation in the agreement in 2007, claiming that NATO's eastward expansion violated the spirit of the treaty.
The New START Treaty, signed in 2010 and renewed until 2026, is currently the last major nuclear arms control pact between Moscow and Washington. It imposes limits on the number of strategic warheads and intercontinental ballistic missile systems of both countries. Experts warn that, if it expires without renewal or replacement, the world could enter a period without formal nuclear limitation mechanisms for the first time in more than half a century—increasing the risk of confrontation.
