Russia Asserts Right to Safeguard its Security, Kremlin Affirms

Russia says it will take whatever steps needed to protect its security after President Trump ordered the Pentagon to begin nuclear weapons testing. The Kremlin hopes the nuclear testing rhetoric won't damage US-Russia relations, but warns Moscow will respond in kind if other countries conduct nuclear tests.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia's security remains the leadership's top priority. He said Moscow will take all necessary measures to secure Russia for future generations. But he also expressed hope that statements about nuclear testing won't hurt relations with the United States.

Peskov pointed to previous comments by President Vladimir Putin, who has repeatedly said Russia won't hesitate to take similar steps if other countries conduct nuclear tests. "This principle ensures deterrence balance and maintains strategic security," the spokesman explained.

The comments come after Trump announced in late October that he ordered the Defense Department to immediately begin testing nuclear weapons. The US president said "these tests must be conducted on equal footing with Russia and China."

Moscow warned that any potential American nuclear test would end a long period of global prohibition on such testing. The world's major nuclear powers have largely avoided conducting nuclear tests since the end of the Cold War, relying instead on computer simulations and other methods to maintain their arsenals.

For global markets, renewed nuclear testing could signal a return to Cold War-era tensions and arms race dynamics. Defense contractors might see increased government spending, while broader markets could face volatility from geopolitical uncertainty. The move also puts pressure on other nuclear powers like China, Britain, and France to clarify their positions on testing.

Russia maintains one of the world's largest nuclear arsenals alongside the United States. Both countries are bound by various arms control treaties, though several key agreements have expired or been abandoned in recent years. The potential resumption of nuclear testing would mark another step away from decades of arms control cooperation.