Russia has refused to take part in this week’s nuclear security summit in Washington over the lack of cooperation with partners on this issue, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

"The nuclear security issue is rather topical. At the same time Moscow considers that working on issues linked to nuclear security demands common and joint efforts and mutually taking into account interests and positions," Peskov told reporters according to TASS News Agency on Wednesday.

"We faced a certain lack of cooperation during the preliminary stage of working on issues and topics of the summit. That’s why in this case there is no participation of the Russian side," he explained.

US Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters on Tuesday that the decision not to participate in the summit is "a missed opportunity for Russia above all" that leads to the country’s further isolation. 

Source : MENA