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On October 26, deputy director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Department of Nonproliferation and Arms Control Andrei Belousov stated that the US is preparing for a war and Russia is ready to defend itself. He commented on the US withdrawal from the INF treaty by saying that it’s a clear sign that the US is “preparing a war”.
“Recently at a meeting [of the committee], the US stated that Russia is preparing for war. Yes, Russia is preparing for war, I can confirm it,” he said after a failed UN First Committee vote on Russia’s resolution in support of the INF. “We are preparing to defend our homeland, our territorial integrity, our principles, our values, our people — we are preparing for such a war.”
“Linguistically, this difference is in just one word, both in Russian and in English: Russia is preparing for war, and the US is preparing a war,” Belousov said. “Otherwise, why would the United States withdraw from the treaty, build up its nuclear potential [and] adopt a new nuclear doctrine?”
Earlier on the same day, Russia introduced a draft resolution to preserve the INF to the UN General Assembly’s First Committee, tasked with disarmament and international security. Nonetheless, the First Committee voted against reviewing the draft, with 55 countries voting against the draft resolution, 31 nations supporting it, and 54 abstaining from the vote.
