In a move to reshape global security, U.S. President Donald Trump has reignited discussions on reducing nuclear arsenals, calling for renewed negotiations with Russia and China. His proposal underscores the dual necessity of moral and financial responsibility in addressing the high costs and destructive potential of nuclear weapons.
Trump recounted past conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, highlighting their shared interest in a possible denuclearization agreement before the 2020 U.S. election. Despite these promising talks, geopolitical tensions and the looming expiration of the New START treaty in 2026 complicate current efforts.
The rapidly expanding nuclear capabilities of China, coupled with its strengthening ties to Russia, present significant challenges to reaching a trilateral agreement. Russia’s suspension of the New START treaty and its aggressive nuclear stance amid the Ukraine conflict further strain the potential for cooperation.
The invasion of Ukraine has heightened mistrust among nuclear powers, complicating efforts to build consensus. While Russian officials express a willingness to engage in dialogue, skepticism remains about achieving a new arms control accord in today’s climate.
Trump’s renewed push for denuclearization highlights the urgent need for global cooperation on nuclear arms reduction. Success will depend on overcoming geopolitical divides and prioritizing global security over national interests, especially with the New START treaty’s expiration on the horizon.
At the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, Trump expressed optimism about a potential breakthrough in international arms control. He emphasized the financial burden of nuclear spending, stating, “Tremendous amounts of money are being spent on nuclear, and the destructive capability is something that we don’t even want to talk about.”
Reflecting on discussions with Putin, Trump noted their mutual interest in limiting nuclear stockpiles. He remarked, “I can tell you that President Putin wanted to do it, he and I wanted to do it. We had a good conversation with China, they would have been involved, and that would have been an unbelievable thing for the planet.”
The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), the last remaining nuclear arms agreement between the U.S. and Russia, is set to expire in 2026. This treaty, signed in 2010, limits both nations to 1,550 deployed strategic nuclear warheads and has been a cornerstone of nuclear stability.
Despite Russia’s suspension of the treaty in 2023 due to U.S. support for Ukraine, Moscow has stated it will continue to abide by its limits. This presents a complex backdrop for any future negotiations involving China.
Trump’s vision for a trilateral agreement involving China faces hurdles. China’s nuclear arsenal, historically smaller than those of the U.S. and Russia, is expanding rapidly. The U.S. Department of Defense estimates China’s arsenal at approximately 600 operational nuclear warheads, with projections to reach 1,000 by 2030.
This growth, along with Beijing’s increasingly close ties to Moscow, complicates efforts to include China in a multilateral arms control framework. The geopolitical landscape has changed significantly since Trump’s first term, with Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine straining relations with Washington.
China’s support for Russia’s actions further complicates U.S.-China relations. Putin has warned that Western military aid to Ukraine could provoke a proportional response, including nuclear weapons use. Russia’s updated nuclear doctrine now considers aggression by a non-nuclear state backed by a nuclear power as a “joint attack” on Russia.
The pursuit of nuclear arms reduction is not a new endeavor. During the Cold War, the U.S. and Soviet Union made significant strides through agreements like the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, which helped curb the arms race.
Including China in such efforts has proven elusive. Trump’s previous attempts to incorporate China into the New START framework were unsuccessful, and the Biden administration has faced similar challenges. China’s stance, as stated by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, is that “China’s development of nuclear weapons is a historic choice forced to be made.”
Despite these challenges, Trump remains optimistic about the potential for denuclearization. “We want to see if we can denuclearize, and I think that’s very possible,” he said at Davos. His comments mirror those in a recent Fox News interview, where he claimed to have been “very close” to a deal with Putin before the 2020 election.
The success of any denuclearization efforts will ultimately depend on the willingness of all parties to prioritize global security over national interests. As Trump noted, “That would have been an unbelievable thing for the planet.” The question remains whether the world’s nuclear powers can turn this vision into reality.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login