Russian minister says Moscow values work of nuclear test ban body

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday that Moscow values the work of the international nuclear test ban organization amid rising global tensions.

During a meeting in Moscow with Robert Floyd, the executive secretary of the Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), Lavrov warned that the current global situation could deteriorate further, including in matters related to nuclear testing.

He said these conditions are not only "agitating" many countries but are also creating a sense that nuclear non-proliferation could soon be not just at risk but "destroyed."

"We, in these circumstances, greatly appreciate your policy of maintaining the depoliticized nature of the work of the body you head," Lavrov said.

Floyd expressed appreciation to Lavrov for Russia's support for the CTBTO Preparatory Commission's work and noted the importance of multilateralism.

"What I see that through the expression of multilateralism, which is in the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, is that we can do things together for peace and security that no state can do by itself. So, your continued support for our work is greatly appreciated," he said.

The CTBTO Preparatory Commission is an interim organization based in Vienna tasked with building the verification regime of the CTBTO, established by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in 1996.

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty bans nuclear weapons tests and any other nuclear explosions. A total of 187 states have signed the agreement and 178 have ratified it.

However, the treaty still needs to be ratified by several countries, including China, Iran, Israel and the United States, for it to enter into force.

Russia ratified the treaty in 2000 but revoked its ratification in 2023 to mirror the US position.