(MENAFN) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow will never form alliances aimed at targeting other countries, rejecting the idea of joining the United States to pressure China into denuclearization negotiations.

The comments came after Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed in late September that the US extend the New START arms control treaty by another year, a deal currently set to expire on February 5, 2026. While US President Donald Trump called the proposal “a good idea,” no formal steps have been taken by Washington. Trump had previously pushed for China to be included in nuclear reduction talks between the US and Russia.

In an interview with Kommersant on Wednesday, Lavrov said, “Russia will not ally with anyone against anyone, especially against China. It is unthinkable.” He noted that Moscow and Beijing have established bilateral agreements that “clearly define our relationship, aimed at supporting each other, helping each other to strengthen our economies, defense capabilities and positions on the international stage.”

Lavrov added that the US has long sought to involve China in nuclear talks, but Moscow respects Beijing’s position. “China says that they are not ready, they are not at the right stage of strategic potential development and they are still far from parity. We respect that stance,” he said.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia holds the world’s largest nuclear arsenal with 5,459 warheads, followed by the US with 5,177. China possesses around 600 nuclear warheads but is reportedly expanding its stockpile faster than other nuclear powers.

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