Instead, Trump has called for a new agreement, one he believes would be more comprehensive and modernized. The rejection of the proposal signals a significant moment in global nuclear arms control, particularly as the treaty expired without renewal.
The New START treaty, which was signed in 2010, had been a cornerstone of U.S.-Russia nuclear relations, limiting the number of strategic nuclear warheads each country could deploy.
Under the treaty, both nations were required to reduce their stockpiles to 1,550 warheads, with a cap of 700 on deployed delivery systems such as missiles and bombers.
However, with its expiration on February 5, 2026, the treaty no longer remains in effect, leaving both the U.S. and Russia without a binding framework governing their nuclear arsenals for the first time in decades.
President Trump rejected Putin's suggestion to extend the treaty for another year, instead calling for a new agreement that he claims will address more than just the U.S. and Russian stockpiles. Trump has long expressed a desire to involve other nuclear-armed nations, particularly China, in future negotiations.
In a statement, Trump said the current agreement is badly negotiated and stressed the need for a better deal that accounts for all nuclear powers.
Trump's administration believes that any future arms control deal should account for China's growing nuclear capabilities, which remain significantly smaller than those of the U.S. and Russia.
Russia, on the other hand, expressed disappointment with the U.S. decision and stressed the importance of maintaining strategic stability.
Arms control experts have raised concerns that the lack of a new agreement could increase global nuclear risks.
This situation marks the first time in over fifty years that the U.S. and Russia do not have a bilateral nuclear arms control agreement in place.
The absence of such a treaty raises alarms about the potential for a new nuclear arms race and the risks that it could pose to global stability.
Rania Umutoni
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/trump-rejects-putin-s-call-to-extend-existing-nuclear-treaty
