Lavrov blames U.S. for stalled Budapest talks, warns of nuclear test retaliation

Lavrov claimed Moscow did not “derail the negotiations” with the U.S. in Budapest, alleging instead that the Kremlin had been waiting for Washington to act — but received no response.

He added that Hungary’s capital remains a “priority location” for a potential meeting between Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump.

“We are concerned about the possibility of U.S. nuclear testing resuming due to the geopolitical situation, and we expect clarification from Washington on its position,” Lavrov said.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry also threatened that it would conduct its own nuclear tests in response.

At the same time, Lavrov said Moscow is offering the U.S. a one-year extension of the New START treaty, which limits deployed strategic nuclear weapons on both sides.

New START was signed by President Barack Obama and then–Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in 2010. The treaty sets caps on the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads and delivery systems.

In February 2023, Putin announced that Russia was suspending its participation in the treaty and signaled a willingness to conduct nuclear drills in response to similar U.S. actions.

On Aug. 4, 2025, Russia officially declared it no longer considered itself bound by the moratorium on deploying intermediate- and shorter-range ground-launched missiles (INF).

On Nov. 5, the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command confirmed it had carried out a test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

Earlier, on Oct. 26, Russia claimed it had tested the 9M730 Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile with unlimited range. Reuters later reported, citing Norwegian intelligence, that the missile had been launched from the Novaya Zemlya archipelago in the Barents Sea.

On Oct. 29, Putin also announced what he called a “successful” test of the Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone.