UK national security adviser Stephen Lovegrove has warned of a growing risk of nuclear confrontation with Russia and China amid a breakdown of backdoor communication channels that helped keep the peace during the Cold War. Speaking in Washington, Lovegrove said the lack of dialogue was taking place at a time when there was not only a “wider range” of strategic risks, but also more “escalation pathways” as a result of advances in science and technology. , the proliferation of weapons and increasing rivalry in areas such as space. “The two monolithic Cold War blocs, the USSR (Soviet Union) and NATO – though not without troubling bumps – were able to reach a common understanding of doctrine that is currently absent,” he told the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Wednesday. (CSIS), think tank. “Doctrine is opaque to Moscow and Beijing, let alone Pyongyang or Tehran.” He said mutual understanding helped ensure the world did not stumble into a nuclear conflict. “That gave us both a higher level of confidence that we wouldn’t miscalculate our way into nuclear war,” Lovegrove said. “Today we don’t have the same foundation as others who may threaten us in the future – particularly China.” US President Joe Biden is expected to speak by phone with Chinese President Xi Jinping later on Thursday. The call, which has yet to be confirmed by Beijing, will be their first discussion since March and comes at a time of heightened tensions between the two nations, particularly over a possible visit to Taiwan by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. China claims the self-governing island republic as its own and has said there will be “consequences” for the US if the trip goes ahead. The US has no formal diplomatic ties to Taiwan, but is bound by law to ensure the island has the means to defend itself. Lovegrove also expressed concern about the proliferation of nuclear weapons to “rogue” states, as well as the rapid development of such weapons among confirmed nuclear powers, including China, where he said the UK had “clear concerns” about nuclear modernization of the country. arsenal. Last month, NATO listed China among its “strategic threats” for the first time, saying Beijing’s military ambitions, confrontational rhetoric toward Taiwan and increasingly close ties with Moscow pose “systemic challenges.” . Citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as an example of Cold War mechanisms, the UK’s security chief also urged countries to commit to arms control measures, stressing that such deals are “vital” to keep the world safe.
