Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has declared that the presence of US nuclear weapons in Europe is simply unacceptable for Moscow.

In the current situation, Lavrov argued, it is important to prevent a new round of the arms race, and said that Russia calls upon the United States and its allies to join a moratorium on the deployment of short- and intermediate-range missiles in Europe.

“It is unacceptable for us that, contrary to the fundamental principles of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, US nuclear weapons are still present on the territory of some European countries”, he said while addressing the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva via a video call.

Lavrov also criticized the practice of the so called “joint nuclear missions” that involve non-nuclear NATO members, and which he said include scenarios of nuclear weapon use against Russia.

“It is high time the US nuclear weapons are return home, and the infrastructure in Europe related to them be completely dismantled,” he said.

Lavrov also warned that Russia does everything it can to prevent Ukraine from acquiring nuclear weapons.

He argued that Kiev’s statements about procuring nuclear weapons are not just empty bravado as Ukraine has Soviet nuclear technologies and delivery systems.

Also, Lavrov suggested that Western powers should refrain from creating military installations in former Soviet states that are not members of NATO.

Source: Sputnik (edited by Al-Manar English website)