WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump stated Thursday that the United States is engaged in discussions with Moscow and Beijing focused on denuclearization among the nations holding the largest nuclear arsenals.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Russia possesses the largest stockpile of stored nuclear warheads, followed by the United States and China. The United States, however, maintains a higher number of deployed warheads than Russia.
In an interview with Newsmax, Trump said he anticipates China will “catch up” to the United States within the next five years.
“The whole thing is a shame, because I’d love to denuclearize if possible, but we’re actually talking to Russia about that, and we’re talking to China about that denuclearization,” Trump told the outlet.
Newsmax reported that Trump had discussed denuclearization with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The president’s remarks come months after the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty expired earlier this year.
The New START treaty, signed in 2010, permitted a single extension, which was previously approved by former President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin for five years. Any further extension would require an executive decision to voluntarily maintain the treaty’s limits.
Also Read
- Myanmar’s coup leader-turned-president wins back neighbours despite war
- Four Killed in Oregon Primary School Shooting; Armed Citizen Stops Suspect
- Buenos Aires Clashes Erupt as Educators Protest University Funding Standoff
- Rubio urges Lebanon to not return confiscated explosives to Hezbollah, US official says