U.S. President Donald Trump has rejected a request from Russian President Vladimir Putin to voluntarily extend recently expired limits on strategic nuclear weapons.
Trump stated on Thursday that he wants negotiators from both countries to meet and draft a new agreement, calling the old treaty “badly negotiated.”
“Instead of extending a poorly negotiated agreement by the United States—which, among other things, is being heavily violated—we should have our Nuclear Experts work on a new, improved, and modernized treaty that can last well into the future,” Trump said on his social media platform, Truth Social.
He previously expressed interest in including China in the new treaty, though authorities in Beijing have shown little interest.
The expiration of the New START pact means fewer restrictions on the massive nuclear arsenals of the U.S. and Russia, raising concerns of a potential arms race amid renewed nuclear tensions.
Putin had stated last year that he would adhere to the treaty for one more year if Washington committed to doing the same. The U.S., having previously argued that the treaty limited its ability to deploy more missiles against Russia and China, ignored the Russian offer.
Moscow expressed regret on Thursday over the treaty’s expiration. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia will continue a “responsible and full approach to stability regarding nuclear weapons,” adding that “it will certainly be guided primarily by its national interests.”
