Russia will only resume nuclear tests if the US does it first, a top Russian diplomat says

MOSCOW (AP) — A senior Russian diplomat says that Moscow will move to revoke the ratification of a global nuclear test ban to put itself on par with the United States but will only resume nuclear tests if Washington does it first. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reporters Tuesday that Moscow will rescind the ratification of the nuclear test ban treaty to “mirror” the action by the U.S. that has signed but failed to ratify the pact. He added that if the U.S. conducts a nuclear test, “we will be forced to mirror that as well.” Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Moscow could rescind the ban’s ratification and Russian lawmakers are set to debate the issue later this month.