The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) has begun preparing a new document to update the country’s nuclear strategy. The new strategy will account for possible regional conflict and military scenarios involving nuclear powers such as Russia and China.
Reuters reports, citing the US Department of Defense, that the document is being prepared against the backdrop of changes in the international security environment, as well as the growing military and nuclear potential of Russia and China.
The Pentagon believes that the main goal of the updated strategy is to deter potential adversaries, increase the effectiveness of nuclear forces, and further strengthen US national security.
According to US officials, Washington is for the first time facing security challenges posed simultaneously by two major nuclear powers – Russia and China. For this reason, the US is also continuing its program to modernize the nuclear triad – land, sea, and air components.
According to experts, the update of the strategy is related to China’s rapid expansion of its nuclear arsenal, Russia’s development of its nuclear capabilities, and the weakening of existing arms control agreements. The new document is expected to define one of the key directions of long-term US defense policy.