WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Sunday cautiously welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to maintain limits on deployed strategic nuclear weapons, saying it “sounds like a good idea.” The offer comes as the 2010 New START accord, which restricts the size of the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals, is set to expire in February.
Speaking to reporters before leaving the White House, Trump responded positively when asked about Putin’s proposal, which would see both Washington and Moscow voluntarily extend the limits even without a formal treaty. Russia’s UN Ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, confirmed last week that Moscow is still waiting for a clear response from Washington.
The possibility of such an agreement stands in sharp contrast to the recent rise in US-Russia tensions. Since Trump and Putin’s meeting in Alaska in August, relations have been strained over reports of Russian drones intruding into NATO airspace and ongoing disputes over the Ukraine war.
In a video message released on Sunday, Putin warned that Washington’s consideration of supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles could shatter any chance of improved relations. “This will lead to the destruction of our relations, or at least the positive trends that have emerged,” he cautioned. The Tomahawk cruise missiles, with a range of 2,500 kilometres, would place much of European Russia, including Moscow, within Kyiv’s potential reach.
US Vice President JD Vance confirmed last month that Ukraine had formally requested the missiles, though officials say a final decision has yet to be made. One US official and three other sources noted that the Trump administration faces logistical hurdles, as most current Tomahawk inventories are committed to the US Navy and other operational uses.
Trump, who has publicly expressed frustration with Putin for failing to move toward ending the Ukraine war, avoided direct comment on the missile issue on Sunday. Instead, he focused on his tour of the US Navy aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush off the coast of Virginia and prepared to deliver remarks aboard the USS Harry S. Truman later in the day.
If Ukraine were to receive the Tomahawks, analysts warn, it would mark a major escalation in the conflict, leaving the Kremlin itself within striking distance. For now, however, the spotlight remains on whether Washington and Moscow can find common ground to keep the world’s most powerful nuclear stockpiles under restraint beyond February.
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