Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirms that Moscow has not received clarification from Washington regarding President Donald Trump’s remarks on resuming nuclear tests, as Russia begins internal discussions following President Putin’s directive to prepare proposals for potential nuclear weapons testing.
Russia Awaits Clarification from Washington on Trump’s Nuclear Testing Statement
In a recent press briefing, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed that Moscow has yet to receive any official clarification from Washington regarding U.S. President Donald Trump’s statement on the possible resumption of nuclear testing. The announcement by President Trump has sparked widespread international speculation, raising concerns about a potential revival of full-scale nuclear tests for the first time in decades.
According to Lavrov, no communication has been made through diplomatic channels to explain what exactly the U.S. president meant by his remarks. “So far we have not received any explanation via diplomatic channels of what President Donald Trump meant when he announced the resumption of nuclear tests,” Lavrov stated.
The Russian foreign minister elaborated on several possible interpretations of Trump’s comments, noting that the statement could refer to a variety of testing activities. These include tests of nuclear weapons carriers, subcritical tests—which involve no actual nuclear reaction—or a return to full-scale nuclear weapons testing. Lavrov pointed out that subcritical tests are regularly conducted by all nuclear states to ensure the safety and reliability of their stockpiles and do not violate the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), which has not yet entered into force.
He also emphasized the ambiguity in Washington’s messaging, observing that even within the U.S. administration there appears to be no unified understanding of the president’s intent. “Public comments by Washington officials suggest that they lack a shared understanding of what the President of the United States meant,” Lavrov added.
The comments follow Russian President Vladimir Putin’s directive at the November 5 meeting of Russia’s Security Council. During that session, Putin instructed the Foreign Ministry, Defense Ministry, and Russia’s special services to “submit coordinated proposals on the possible first steps focusing on preparations for nuclear weapons tests.” This move came amid increasing global tensions and renewed discussions about strategic stability and deterrence in light of evolving U.S.-Russia relations.
Lavrov confirmed that Moscow has begun implementing the president’s instructions. “As for President Vladimir Putin’s instruction at the Security Council meeting on November 5, we took it on board and are working on it. We will communicate on the outcomes of this effort in due course,” he said.
The Russian government’s current approach suggests that while it is not rushing into action, it is preparing for all possible scenarios depending on Washington’s next steps. Analysts believe the Kremlin’s strategy aims to maintain flexibility while signaling readiness to respond if the United States moves forward with any form of nuclear testing.
With no official clarification from the U.S. side and increasing geopolitical tension surrounding arms control agreements, the coming weeks could prove critical for the future of nuclear deterrence and global security.
Disclaimer:
This article is based on official statements made by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov regarding discussions within the Russian government and public remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump. The information reflects ongoing diplomatic and security developments as reported by credible sources. The content is intended for informational and analytical purposes only and does not represent any official stance or endorsement by this publication.