US President Donald Trump on Sunday (October 5) expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent proposal to voluntarily maintain limits on deployed strategic nuclear weapons.
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,” signaling 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.