Russia regrets that none of NATO members have shown readiness to join the nuclear disarmament effort, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Non-Proliferation and Arms Control Department Vladimir Yermakov told a meeting of the UN General Assembly’s First Committee on Tuesday.

“Further progress towards nuclear disarmament is impossible if all states which possess military nuclear potential do not join the efforts. First of all, this concerns particular countries of the NATO military bloc. However, to our great regret, none of them have so far signaled this desire,” Yermakov said. The text of his speech was posted on the ministry’s website on Wednesday.

For a process of eliminating nuclear weapons, it is vital to simultaneously enhance the security of all its participants in the course of reducing nuclear arsenals, the diplomat stressed.

Three NATO member-states possess nuclear weapons: the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.