Kremlin hails Sarmat missile test as 'important event' for Russian security

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Wednesday called the successful test of the Sarmat nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile a "major event" as announced the day before.

Speaking at a press briefing in Moscow, Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin himself gave a very high assessment of the Sarmat missile launch, calling it "a major event" for the entire country and for ensuring Russia’s security for many years to come.

“The president himself, the head of state, gave a very high assessment of this major achievement and this launch. Indeed, this is a very important event for the entire country and for the security of our country for many, many years ahead,” he said.

Russia notifies other countries of launches such as yesterday’s Sarmat test, he added, noting that a special notification system operates in strict accordance with international practice.

“Of course, all such launches are carried out with notification. A special notification system operates in strict compliance with existing international practice,” he said.

Moscow has not heard of any official reaction from Washington to the Sarmat launch conducted the previous day, Peskov said, responding to a relevant question.

Asked about the possibility of full-scale peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, Peskov said that for such talks to begin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy must order the Ukrainian troops to cease fire and leave Russian regions.

“Zelenskyy must give the order to Ukraine's armed forces to cease fire and leave the territory of Donbas and the territory of Russian regions," he said.

"At that moment, a ceasefire will begin, and the sides will calmly be able to engage in negotiations, which, by the way, will inevitably be very difficult and will contain a large number of important details,” he stressed.

Asked whether Russia is considering possible cooperation with the US regarding the Nord Stream gas pipelines if Americans were to buy the Europeans’ share of the infrastructure, Peskov said the two countries could cooperate on a wide range of economic projects beneficial to both sides.

Moscow hopes that either a settlement of the Ukraine conflict or Washington’s decision to stop linking progress in bilateral relations to the Ukraine issue will pave the way for such cooperation, he noted.

“As the American side becomes ready not to tie the prospects for normalizing trade and economic relations to the Ukrainian settlement, or as the Ukrainian settlement is achieved, we hope the path toward implementing a number of economic projects will open,” Peskov said.