Kremlin: Russia backs states' right to peaceful nuclear energy

Russia supports the global nuclear non-proliferation regime while maintaining that all countries have the right to develop peaceful nuclear energy, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on July 23.

Speaking to reporters, Peskov said Moscow's long-standing position distinguishes between preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and allowing nations to pursue civilian nuclear programmes, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

"Our position on the nuclear non-proliferation regime is well known. It concerns nuclear weapons," he said. "Every state has the right to peaceful nuclear technology and peaceful nuclear energy. Iran should have that right, Saudi Arabia should have that right, and so should other states."

Turning to the war in Ukraine, Peskov said contacts between Russia and the United States were continuing but cautioned against expecting any breakthrough in efforts to end the conflict.

"I would not be overly optimistic," he said, adding that dialogue through existing channels was "always positive" but that it was too early to speak of any new momentum or acceleration in negotiations.

Peskov said Russia hoped face-to-face discussions with US officials would resume once American negotiators were available to travel to Moscow.

He also reiterated that Russia remained open to negotiations but claimed Ukraine was being encouraged by European capitals to continue the war. As a result, he said, Moscow would continue what it calls its "special military operation", adding that Russia was seeing developments on the battlefield that it viewed as favourable.