Russia-U.S. maintain uninterrupted contacts - Ryabkov

As Moscow and Washington maintain uninterrupted contacts, security issues hold a central stage, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said.

The senior Russian diplomat was asked about the availability of communication between Moscow and Washington amid plans announced recently by US leader Donald Trump to hold nuclear tests.

"The contacts are ongoing, and we make no secret of that. The agenda includes a variety of issues, and security holds a central stage in it," Sergey Ryabkov said.

Earlier, Vandenberg Space Force Base in California announced that an operational test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile is scheduled for between 11pm PT Wednesday and 5am PT Thursday.

Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump instructed the Pentagon to immediately launch nuclear weapons tests, alleging that Russia and China continued to test their arsenals. Later, US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright specified that the trials would not involve actual detonations but rather the testing of components necessary for a nuclear blast.