As more and more people worry – most recently the president of Alexander Stubb – about how the movements of major countries are changing the logic of nuclear deterrence as we know it, after the US president’s reference a few days ago to a resumption by America, Washington appears on the one hand trying to tone down and on the other hand preparing its next steps.
Trump insists, China and Russia have responded
Donald Trump returned to the issue of testing in an interview with CBS – following his post on Truth Social, in which he informed that although he does not want it “the US will start testing nuclear weapons on an equal basis with other countries” – arguing that: “I said we will test nuclear weapons like other countries do yes. Russia is testing and China is testing, they don’t come out and say it. They don’t announce it. I don’t want us to be the only country that doesn’t test.” Trump also put North Korea and Pakistan on the same list.
To this new report by Trump, China responded, through the mouth of the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mao Ning, asserting that: “As a responsible nuclear power, China has always supported a nuclear self-defense strategy and kept its commitment to suspend its nuclear tests. China hopes that the US will take concrete measures to safeguard the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime, but also to maintain global strategic balance and stability.”
Russia had also responded to the initial Trump report through the mouth of Dmitry Peskov claiming that Russia has not proceeded with nuclear tests and that: “Regarding the tests of Poseidon and Burevestnik, we hope that the information was conveyed correctly to President Trump. This can in no way be interpreted as a nuclear test.”
US Energy Secretary: ‘Don’t worry you won’t see nuclear mushrooms’
With that in mind, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright has tried to play down the tone by saying the US has no plans to detonate nuclear weapons. As he told Fox News: “We’re not talking about nuclear explosions. These are what we call non-critical explosions.” As he emphasized: “Americans who live near historic test sites, such as the Nevada National Security Site, have no reason to worry. They’re not going to see a nuclear mushroom. The tests can include all the other parts of a nuclear weapon to make sure they have the right geometry and can set off a nuclear explosion.”
The US military regularly tests its intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) fleet, which is part of the nuclear triad along with submarines and bombers equipped with nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, to ensure they are safe, effective and practical in providing strategic deterrence.
The US is preparing a Minuteman test
At the same time, Newsweek reported that preparations have already begun for the test launch of a Minuteman III ICBM from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base this week. The missile is expected to be fired at the Reagan Test Range in the Marshall Islands’ Kwajalein Atoll.
Stubb is worried
However, the above concerns many who rush to sound the alarm about the possibility that this arms race, if it reaches the point of restarting nuclear tests, could bring about changes in the balance. The statements of the president of Finland today, Alexander Stubb, are characteristic, who emphasized that a “new era” for nuclear weapons has begun, in which the “logic of deterrence” and “strategic stability among the superpowers” are undergoing significant changes. As he mentioned, the importance given to nuclear weapons continues to increase, which causes concern in the international community.
