Russia pulls out of nuke summit

Russia said on Wednesday it has decided not to engage in preparations for a nuclear summit in Washington, arguing that it serves little purpose and gives too much weight to the United States.

The statement was the first confirmation by Moscow that it intends to snub the 2016 nuclear security summit. US and European officials had earlier said Moscow refused to participate.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in the statement that the three previous such summits have largely fulfilled the set goals and the new meeting could add little further value. It also argued that the US has tried to assume the role of "the main and privileged player" at the forum.

The ministry claimed that the US, along with the Netherlands and South Korea, which hosted the previous summits, would play a dominant role in preparing the summit's documents, something that Moscow considers unfair. It also argued that the final documents of the Washington summit would set the agenda for international organizations, an approach Russia considers wrong.

"We believe it's unacceptable to create a precedent of such outside interference into planning the work of international organizations, which have a more solid expertise and rely on democratic procedures," the statement said.

The ministry said Moscow will focus instead on expanding cooperation within the International Atomic Energy Agency, a United Nations nuclear watchdog.

It said Russia had informed the US about its decision in mid-October, adding that it saw the leaks in the media as an attempt to force Moscow to change its stance. The relations between Moscow and Washington are at their lowest point since Cold War times due to Russia's annexation of Crimea.

However, in Washington, US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, "The United States and Russia continue to work productively on nuclear security issues through other channels," pointing to their participation in Iran nuclear talks and joint efforts to help eliminate chemical weapons in Syria.