Russia's Putin: Nuclear arms race is already there; I did not say the US is planning to conduct a nuclear test

Russia's Putin: Nuclear arms race is already there; I did not say the US is planning to conduct a nuclear test

US President Donald Trump has expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to voluntarily maintain limits on deployed strategic nuclear weapons, signaling potential US interest in negotiating a follow-up arrangement to the expiring New START treaty .

Putin had suggested last month that Russia would continue to adhere to the caps established under the 2010 New START treaty, which sets limits on the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals, provided the US agrees to follow suit. The New START agreement is set to expire in February 2026. Trump commented on the proposal, saying it “sounds like a good idea to me,” indicating potential US interest in negotiating a follow-up arrangement .

The New START treaty, signed in 2010, has been a cornerstone of nuclear arms control between the US and Russia, limiting deployed strategic warheads to 1,550 and delivery vehicles to 800. Its impending expiration has raised concerns about a renewed arms race between the two nuclear powers. Trump’s openness to Putin’s voluntary proposal comes amid ongoing debates over the future of US-Russia arms control and the strategic balance in Europe and Asia.

Putin’s offer was made in the context of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, which has strained relations between the two countries. Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia had said Moscow was still waiting for Trump to respond to Putin's offer to voluntarily maintain the limits on deployed strategic nuclear weapons once the key arms control treaty expires .

The proposal from Putin follows US Vice President JD Vance’s statement last month that Washington was considering a Ukrainian request to obtain missiles that could strike deep into Russia, including Moscow. Putin warned that such a move would destroy Moscow's relationship with Washington .

This is a developing story, and further updates are expected. Stay tuned for more developments on the US-Russia nuclear arms control situation.