Trump: US in talks with Russia and China on denuclearization
Trump told Newsmax the US is discussing denuclearization with Russia and China and referenced SIPRI figures and the expired New START treaty.
President Donald Trump said the United States is holding discussions with Russia and China — the two countries with the largest nuclear arsenals — about denuclearization.
Washington discusses limits as global warhead balances shift
Trump cited data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), noting that Russia possesses the greatest number of stored nuclear warheads, followed by the United States and China, while the United States leads Russia in the number of deployed warheads.
In an interview with Newsmax, Trump also said he expects China to catch up with the United States within the next five years and stressed his desire to reduce nuclear risks.
"This whole situation is a disgrace, because I would like to achieve denuclearization if possible, actually we are talking about that with Russia and China," Trump said.
Newsmax reported that Trump discussed denuclearization directly with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The New START treaty, originally signed in 2010, was extended for five years by President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, but it expired a few months ago. Any further extension would require an explicit decision to voluntarily continue the limits set out in the agreement.
Photo: press material from the event
