The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a scathing official statement lambasting Western delegations following the collapse of the NPT Review Conference in New York. The four-week diplomatic forum, aimed at strengthening the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, concluded on May 22 without adopting a consensus outcome document.

Moscow explicitly pointed to a "destructive agenda" led by the United States, NATO, and European Union bureaucrats as the primary mechanism behind the summit's failure. According to Russian officials, Western powers actively derailed productive communication to prioritize isolated political score-settling rather than addressing core nuclear non-proliferation objectives.

Sharp Geopolitical Rifts Over Regional Conflicts

The Kremlin's statement highlighted that the modern international security environment is experiencing dramatic deterioration, marked largely by strong-arm politics. A major stumbling block at the NPT Review Conference included deep friction over Western military actions, specifically what Moscow termed "aggression by Israel and the US against Iran" over the past year.

Russia stated that these unprovoked actions under the pretext of defending non-proliferation have dealt disastrous blows to the stability of the treaty. Russian diplomats argued that the New York forum proved entirely unequipped to impartially assess the complex ground realities in the Middle East.

Accusations of Western Hypocrisy and Dual Allegiance

The Russian Foreign Ministry further directed sharp criticism at European nations for evading scrutiny over their own strategic military entanglements.

• Nuclear Sharing Mechanisms: Russia accused NATO members of hypocrisy for defending their involvement in joint allied nuclear exercises while claiming to support global non-proliferation frameworks.

• Lack of Posture Transparency: The statement alleged that Western states flatly blocked any proposals that would require higher transparency regarding their own nuclear-related practices.

• Disregard for Strategic Reality: Moscow observed that certain disarmament advocates refused to acknowledge present-day military and global strategic realities, hindering progress across the treaty's core pillars.

Praise for Vietnamese Presidency Despite Deadlock

Despite the highly critical tone toward Washington and Brussels, Moscow expressed deep appreciation for the conference's leadership. The event was chaired by Ambassador Do Hung Viet, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to the United Nations, who was commended by Russian officials for working tirelessly to construct diplomatic compromises.

The ministry credited Ambassador Viet with drafting an outcome document that came incredibly close to achieving total consensus. According to Russia, the draft was ultimately withheld from a final vote to shield the forum from a more volatile, public political confrontation after the US and its close allies adopted a hard-line stance on key provisions.

Ultimately, Russia maintained that the absence of a signed final declaration does not diminish the NPT Review Conference cycle or the treaty's long-term value. Moscow concluded that the NPT remains an irreplaceable cornerstone of international security and global nuclear containment.