The US authorities in the new version of the national defense strategy described Russia as an “acute threat” and China as a “major challenge” for Washington.
“Russia poses an acute threat. Even though the main challenge comes from China, recent events highlight the immediate threat from Russia,” the Pentagon said in a strategy text released Thursday.
At the same time, the Pentagon noted that, “despite the fact that divergent interests and historical mistrust between China and Russia may limit the depth of their political and military cooperation, relations between the countries continue to expand.”
The document emphasizes that Russia “continues to pose a serious threat in key areas,” including nuclear.
This includes the nuclear threat against the United States and its allies and partners, the threat of long-range cruise missiles, cyber and information operations, threats in outer space, the threat of chemical and biological weapons, and underwater warfare. strategies.
In particular, according to the document, Russia continues to modernize and expand its nuclear forces, which pose a “potential threat to the existence of the United States and its allies and partners.” The Pentagon notes that we are talking about both the 1,500 deployed Russian nuclear warheads subject to the START III treaty, and warheads for non-strategic nuclear weapons, which are not covered by any agreements. Thus, Russia remains a rival to the United States with the most combat-ready and diverse arsenal of nuclear weapons.
At the same time, the document recalls, the United States had a significant dialogue with Russia in the area of ”strategic dialogue and crisis management.” The United States and Russia also expressed their desire to extend the nuclear arms control regime beyond the scope of START III. However, the priorities of both countries differ on this issue, which indicates the need for dialogue “with regard to those goals that the US and the Russian Federation do not have the same, and the perception of those weapons systems that affect strategic stability.”
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin also presented this strategy at the briefing.
