Amid Nuclear Tensions Between Russia And The West, A Top Meeting In New York

Moscow:

A group of five nuclear weapons states will hold a meeting in New York in the next two weeks, Russian state media quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying on Thursday.

The group brings together Russia, the United States, China, France and Britain, all of which are nuclear-armed states and permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

Ryabkov did not announce a specific date or say what level of officials would attend.

The meeting is potentially significant because of a significant escalation in nuclear tensions between Russia and the West since the start of the Ukraine war.

President Vladimir Putin last month announced changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine, saying Moscow was extending the list of scenarios that could prompt it to consider firing a nuclear weapon.