Russian diplomat chides US for rushing nuclear inspections

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — A senior Russian diplomat says that Moscow’s decision to declare a freeze on U.S. inspections of its nuclear arsenals under a key arms control treaty was triggered by Washington’s push for a quick visit by inspectors. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Tuesday the U.S. demand for Russia to immediately allow an inspection trip under the New START treaty looked like an “open provocation.” He added that “a notice about the U.S. intention to perform an inspection on our territory in the nearest days became a trigger” for the Russian decision to freeze such inspections. The Biden administration had no immediate public response to the move, which came amid soaring U.S.-Russian tensions over Russia’s military action in Ukraine.