US in ‘denuclearisation’ talks with Russia and China: Trump

What the report says

US President Donald Trump said the United States is in discussions with Russia and China about nuclear “denuclearisation,” according to Al Jazeera. He made the remarks in an interview with US broadcaster Newsmax, saying he would like to reduce nuclear weapons if possible and suggesting China is moving toward a larger arsenal over time. Al Jazeera reported that Trump did not provide details on the scope, timing or format of any talks.

The report said China’s stockpile is still far smaller than those of the US and Russia, but that Trump expects Beijing to continue expanding it. The article also noted that the US and Russia each have more than 4,000 warheads, while China has about 620, based on figures cited from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Together, the US and Russia hold the overwhelming share of the world’s nuclear weapons.

Al Jazeera placed Trump’s comments in the context of recent strains in nuclear arms control. The story pointed to the expiration of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty between the US and Russia and growing concern in Europe over Russia’s nuclear rhetoric during the war in Ukraine. It also quoted a former Australian foreign minister warning that global attention to nuclear risk has weakened as major arms control agreements have stalled or ended.