Washington, United States. President Donald Trump rejected a proposal from Russian President Vladimir Putin to voluntarily extend limits on strategic nuclear weapons deployments after the New START treaty expired. Trump said the United States should work on a new treaty instead.
Trump calls for new treaty
Trump said that rather than extend New START, the United States should have its nuclear experts work on a “new, improved and modernized Treaty that can last long into the future,” in a post on his Truth Social platform.
He described New START as “a badly negotiated deal” that he said “is being grossly violated,” referring to Russia’s 2023 decision to halt on-site inspections and other measures intended to confirm compliance with the treaty.
Putin proposal and treaty limits
Trump’s comments responded to Putin’s proposal that both countries adhere for one year to the 2010 accord’s limits of 1,550 warheads on 700 delivery systems, including missiles, aircraft and submarines.
New START was the last in a series of arms control treaties between the two largest nuclear weapons powers dating back to the Cold War. The agreement allowed for only one extension, which Putin and former U.S. President Joe Biden agreed to for five years in 2021.
Reactions and ongoing talks
Arms control advocates warned that the treaty’s expiration could fuel an accelerated nuclear arms race, while U.S. opponents said the pact constrained U.S. ability to deploy enough weapons to deter nuclear threats posed by both Russia and China.
Putin cited U.S. support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion as the reason for halting inspections.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said the United States would continue talks with Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia remained ready to engage in dialogue if Washington responded constructively to Putin’s proposal, adding that if there were constructive replies, Russia would conduct a dialogue.
What steps do you think the United States and Russia should take next on nuclear arms control?
