Russia Blames US for CTBT Deadlock and Threat to Nuclear Moratorium

MOSCOW, September 24. /TASS/. The prospects for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) entering into force remain unclear, primarily due to the US position, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement marking the 30th anniversary of the document’s opening for signature.

"Despite the fact that 179 of the 188 signatory states have ratified the treaty, the prospects for the CTBT’s entry into force remain just as unclear. This is due to the position of several countries, primarily the US, which was one of the treaty’s initiators but has nevertheless failed to take effective steps toward ratifying it over the past decades," the diplomat emphasized. "US officials’ statements that the relevant bill will not pass Congress do not stand up to scrutiny. We see how quickly legislation that is of great importance to the American political establishment is passed on Capitol Hill," Zakharova pointed out.

US position threatening moratorium

Washington’s statements are causing particular concern, the spokeswoman emphasized.

"US President Donald Trump’s executive order of October 29, 2025 to begin preparations for nuclear tests is not just rhetoric, but in fact a direct threat to the relevant moratorium that is preventing the world from sliding into a new round of the nuclear arms race. Attempts by the Americans to accuse other countries of activity allegedly incompatible with the Treaty look totally unsubstantiated.

As we know, whenever such statements come from Washington, it means that the Americans are once again looking to withdraw from their international commitments," Zakharova stressed.

According to the diplomat, Russia was the first of the "Nuclear Five" (P5) to accede to the CTBT on the day the treaty was opened for signature, September 24, 1996. "For more than 20 years, we maintained this status even when Washington failed to make any progress toward ratifying the treaty. But this could not go on forever," she noted. "In 2023, Russia withdrew its ratification, restoring parity with the US in terms of international legal obligations in this area," the spokeswoman said.

Russia’s responsible stance

"Russia remains a party to the CTBT with all the rights and obligations that this entails. We continue to work responsibly within the Preparatory Commission for the CTBT Organization. In December 2023, we completed construction of our national segment of the International Monitoring System - the second largest in the world - with 32 facilities certified and operational," Zakharova emphasized.

"Russia continues to observe its voluntary moratorium on nuclear testing, which was introduced by the USSR back in 1990. On November 5, 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin unequivocally stated: 'Russia has always strictly adhered to and continues to adhere to its obligations under the CTBT, and we have no plans to deviate from them. Nevertheless, if the US or other states parties to the treaty conduct full-scale nuclear tests, then Russia, too, will have to take appropriate countermeasures.’ We are strictly following this approach," the diplomat concluded.