Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that Moscow was "ready" to discuss with Washington accusations by President Donald Trump that it had carried out secret underground nuclear tests.
"We are ready to discuss the suspicions raised by our American colleagues regarding the possibility that we might be secretly doing something deep underground," Lavrov told state media in a televised interview on Tuesday.
He denied Trump's claims and said the United States could check whether Russia tested a nuclear warhead via the global seismic monitoring system.
"Other tests, both subcritical, or those without a chain nuclear reaction, and carrier tests, have never been prohibited," Lavrov added.
Tensions have risen between the world's two largest nuclear nations after the latest attempt to resolve the Ukraine war failed, with Russia carrying out tests of its nuclear-powered, nuclear-capable weapons systems and Trump saying he was ordering the test of atomic weapons.
He accused both Russia and China of testing nuclear weapons in an interview with US broadcaster CBS News earlier this month.
‘Unacceptable’ US strikes
He also denounced as illegal and "unacceptable" US strikes on boats from Venezuela - a Moscow ally - that Washington claims are transporting drugs.
Tensions between Washington and Caracas have dramatically risen in recent days, with US President Donald Trump launching a military deployment in the Caribbean Sea and conducting strikes on Venezuelan boats.
"This is how, in general, lawless countries act, as well as those who consider themselves above the law," Lavrov said in his remarks, questioning what he called the United States' "pretext of fighting drugs".
Venezuela is led by President Nicolas Maduro, who has relied on the Kremlin for political and economic support.
Lavrov said the United States had been "destroying (the boats) without trial or investigation, and not only without trial and investigation, but without presenting any facts to anyone".
US-Russia relations have increasingly soured in recent weeks, as Trump has voiced frustration with Moscow and the lack of a resolution to the Ukraine war.
