The French foreign ministry on Tuesday called on Russia to "show responsibility" and reverse its decision to suspend participation in a nuclear arms control treaty known as New Start "as soon as possible."
"The New Start Treaty is an essential instrument in the international architecture of nuclear arms control and strategic stability", France, the European Union's only nuclear power, said in a statement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier on Tuesday delivered a nuclear warning to the West over Ukraine, suspending a bilateral nuclear arms control treaty, announcing new strategic systems had been put on combat duty and warning that Moscow could resume nuclear tests.
