Dmitry Peskov said that nuclear deterrence is "the only thing" that protects the world from a new "world war", although it does not prevent the continuation of "regional conflicts", TASS reports.
"Apart from nuclear deterrence, we have nothing else left in the world. This is the only thing that protects the planet from a world war. "And yes, it does not protect us from regional conflicts, the potential of which continues to grow," said Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov at an expert forum in Moscow.
The "New START" treaty, the last bilateral nuclear disarmament agreement between Russia and the United States, expired in February. Signed in 2010, it limited the number of strategic nuclear launchers and warheads deployed by both sides.
Shortly after the treaty expired, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow would continue to adhere to the restrictions on its nuclear arsenal, provided that the United States did the same.
However, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared after the expiration of "New START" that the development of Moscow's nuclear forces was "an absolute priority."