Russia's President Putin readies to resume nuclear weapons testing but only if US does so first

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered officials to prepare for a possible resumption of nuclear tests, he told his Security Council on Wednesday. Last week, President Trump appeared to indicate that America would restart its own atomic tests. 

"I instruct the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, special services, and relevant civilian agencies to do everything possible to gather additional information on this matter, analyse it within the Security Council, and submit coordinated proposals on the possible commencement of preparations for nuclear weapons tests,” Putin said.

Putin said Russia would only restart tests if the US does so first. 

Trump appeared to signal that America would resume nuclear tests for the first time in thirty years but his Energy Secretary said on Sunday that the weapons testing system would not include nuclear explosions. 

Trump made the announcement on Thursday in South Korea days after Putin announced successful tests of the prospective nuclear-powered and nuclear capable cruise missile and underwater drone. The US military also has regularly tested nuclear-capable weapons, but it has not detonated the weapons since 1992.

The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which the US signed but did not ratify, has been observed since its adoption by all countries possessing nuclear weapons, North Korea being the only exception.