Nuclear war no closer despite treaty move, Russian official says

Liberal Democratic Party Leader Leonid Slutsky speaks in the lower house of the Russian parliament in Moscow on Wednesday, February 22 [State Duma via AP]

Moscow’s decision to suspend its participation in the New START arms reduction treaty with the United States does not increase the risk of a nuclear conflict, Russia’s deputy foreign minister says.

Sergei Ryabkov said on Wednesday it would be up to Russian President Vladimir Putin to determine whether Moscow could return to the pact, Russia’s Interfax news agency quoted him as saying.