WASHINGTON — The White House has said it regretted Russia's decision not to attend a preparatory meeting last week for the 2016 nuclear security summit.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters in a briefing on Tuesday that Russia declined to participate in the meeting but that he was not aware that Moscow planned to boycott the summit itself.
The fourth nuclear security summit is scheduled to be held in Chicago in 2016, returning to the U.S., where the process was launched by U.S. President Barack Obama in 2010.
The summits aim to enhance nuclear security around the world and have involved major powers including China, France, Germany and Britain. The last summit was in The Hague in March, when Russia and the U.S. set aside their differences over Crimea to endorse the meeting's final statement.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
