Russia in talks with partners on deployment of long-range weapons: Tass news agency

MOSCOW - Russia is discussing with its closest partners the issue of deploying long-range weapons, the Tass state news agency reported on June 19, citing Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.

Mr Ryabkov told Tass in an interview that Moscow has “closest partners” in both Asia and Latin America with whom “the security situation is being worked out substantively, not only at the level of exchange of assessments”.

“There is nothing new in this,” Tass cited Mr Ryabkov as saying. “The issue (placement of long-range weapons) is being raised... with a number of our partners.”

Mr Ryabkov would not name any countries, saying that the discussions take place “with full respect” for obligations that the countries may bear under international treaties, including those to which Russia is not a party.

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin arrived in North Korea on June 19, with the United States and its allies saying they fear Moscow could

provide aid for Pyongyang’s missile and nuclear programmes

, which are banned by UN Security Council resolutions.

Mr Ryabkov also told Tass that diplomatic contacts between Russia and the United States have been

reduced to an absolute minimum,

to dealing chiefly with embassy, visa and humanitarian issues, and that they may worsen even further.

“Our contacts with the Americans are reduced to an absolute minimum, both in terms of quantity and content,” Tass cited Mr Ryabkov as saying.

“As for political subjects... there is nothing except episodic contacts on the sidelines of international organisations.”

Mr Ryabkov has also said that diplomatic relations may worsen even further in response to the US moves to confiscate Russian assets.

“Lowering the level of diplomatic relations is... in the arsenal of means,” Mr Ryabkov said.

In response to Russia’s war in Ukraine, the United States and its allies prohibited transactions with Russia’s central bank and finance ministry and blocked about US$300 billion (S$405 billion) of sovereign Russian assets in the West, most of which are in European, not American, financial institutions.

Last week, the Group of Seven rich democracies agreed to

use proceeds from frozen Russian assets

to give Ukraine US$50 billion in loans. REUTERS