Official website of the President of Russia

“I would like to warmly greet the delegates at the Sixth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the first such conference after the historic decision to extend the Treaty indefinitely.

“Over its 30-year history, the time-tested Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons has proved its role as a highly important instrument of containing the threat of the spread of nuclear weapons. The Treaty has helped strengthen regional and global stability, facilitated movement along the road toward irreversible nuclear disarmament and reduced the risk of nuclear war.

“Russia, which adheres to its commitments in the area of nuclear disarmament, intends to abide by them in conditions of strategic stability and the system of disarmament treaties that was established over the decades, and which is the foundation of subsequent strategic offensive arms cuts and restrictions.

“Russia, which has signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and is one of its depositary states, believes that the Treaty is a pillar of the international security system. The Treaty is the main mechanism containing the spread of nuclear weapons and facilitating expanded international cooperation in the civilian nuclear power industry.

“We appreciate the importance of the current conference, which aims at further strengthening the Treaty and the international nuclear non-proliferation regime in general.

“I wish the conference delegates successful and fruitful work.”

Vladimir Putin