Kremlin Says Nuclear Deterrence Is Only Safeguard Against Global War

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov told a foreign‑policy forum in Moscow that nuclear deterrence is the only factor preventing a worldwide war, though it does not stop regional conflicts. He emphasized, “Beyond nuclear deterrence we have nothing else left in the world; it is the sole thing that protects the planet from a global war.”

Peskov referenced Russia’s use of three Orenzhik missiles against Ukraine and noted the February expiration of the New START treaty that limited strategic nuclear arsenals of Russia and the United States. He said Moscow would continue to observe the treaty’s limits if Washington does the same, while President Vladimir Putin has declared the expansion of Russia’s nuclear capabilities a top priority.

The remarks come amid growing international tension over a new arms‑control framework, with no current agreement governing strategic nuclear weapons between the two largest nuclear powers.