Trump says US in denuclearisation talks with Russia and China
The US president told Newsmax that Washington is discussing nuclear disarmament with Moscow and Beijing as China's arsenal grows.
At a glance
- Trump told Newsmax the US is holding denuclearisation talks with Russia and China.
- China has about 620 warheads; the US and Russia each have more than 4,000, Trump said.
- Trump's remarks followed the expiration of the US-Russia Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.
United States President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Washington is holding talks with Russia and China on nuclear disarmament, describing the discussions as an effort to "denuclearise".
Speaking in an interview with US broadcaster Newsmax, Trump said China is racing to catch up with the two larger nuclear powers. Newsmax reported that Trump had spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the subject, but no further details of the talks with either Russia or China were disclosed.
Stockpile gap
China's nuclear stockpile of about 620 warheads is far smaller than those of the US and Russia, which each hold more than 4,000, according to the figures cited by Trump. He said he believes China will "catch up" within five years.
"The whole thing is a shame because I'd love to denuclearise if possible," Trump said. "We're actually talking to Russia about that, and we're talking to China about that denuclearisation."
He added that China does not appear willing to disarm, but said the talks have continued.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia holds the world's largest nuclear arsenal, with the US close behind. Together the two countries possess an estimated 86 percent of all nuclear weapons globally. SIPRI ranks China third, having expanded its arsenal to 620 warheads over the past year.
Treaty expired
Trump's remarks came shortly after the expiration of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, an arms control agreement between the US and Russia that limited their nuclear arsenals.
A month after the treaty lapsed, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the Forward Deterrence Initiative, a move the source links to Russian nuclear signalling during its war on Ukraine, which has alarmed Europe.
Former Australian foreign minister Gareth Evans told Al Jazeera that global interest in the risk posed by nuclear weapons has faded.
"[The] world ... has become alarmingly complacent about the risks of nuclear war with every major nuclear arms control agreement dead, dying or on life support and the longstanding taboo against threat or use eroding," he said.
No timeline, venue or participants for the talks described by Trump were given in the interview.
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- What did Trump say about denuclearisation talks?
- Trump said the US is talking to Russia and China about denuclearisation, telling Newsmax he would "love to denuclearise if possible" and that China does not appear willing to disarm.
- How many nuclear warheads do the US, Russia and China have?
- China has about 620 warheads, according to figures cited by Trump, while the US and Russia each hold more than 4,000. SIPRI says the US and Russia together hold about 86 percent of global nuclear weapons.
- Why are the talks happening now?
- Trump's comments came shortly after the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty between the US and Russia expired. A month later, France announced the Forward Deterrence Initiative amid concerns over Russian nuclear signalling.
