Putin offers Trump a one-year extension to nuclear arms pact

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin offered his US counterpart Donald Trump a nuclear arms control deal on Monday (Sep 22) that would extend the last treaty limiting both countries' nuclear weapons by one year while Moscow and Washington discuss what comes next.

Russia and the United States have by far the biggest nuclear arsenals in the world. The last remaining treaty between them that limits the numbers of these weapons is due to expire on Feb 5 next year.

The New START treaty covers strategic nuclear weapons - those designed by each side to hit the enemy's centres of military, economic and political power - and caps the number of deployed warheads at 1,550 on each side. Both are likely to breach that limit if the treaty is not extended or replaced.

PUTIN UNDER PRESSURE TO END UKRAINE WAR

Putin, who said his proposal was in the interests of global non-proliferation and could help spur dialogue with Washington about arms control, has been under pressure from Trump to agree to end the war in Ukraine, something Moscow says is part of a slew of security issues that have raised East-West tensions to their most dangerous level since the Cold War.

The offer, made at a time when Ukraine is trying to persuade Trump to impose harsher sanctions on Russia, was made public by Putin at a meeting of his Security Council.

"Russia is prepared to continue adhering to the central numerical limits under the New START Treaty for one year after 5 Feb, 2026," said the Russian president.

"Subsequently, based on an analysis of the situation, we will make a decision on whether to maintain these voluntary self-imposed restrictions.

"We believe that this measure will only be viable if the United States acts in a similar manner and does not take steps that undermine or violate the existing balance of deterrence capabilities."

The proposal appears to be a unilateral change of policy by Moscow which has until now insisted it would only engage with Washington on such matters if overall ties - hampered by stark differences over the war in Ukraine - improved.

There was no immediate response from Washington.

TALKS ON OVERHAULING TREATY YET TO START

With just over four months to go before the New START runs out, differences over Ukraine mean Russia and the United States have not started talks on renewing or overhauling the treaty, though Trump has spoken of his desire to do a new nuclear arms control deal, albeit with China as well.

Beijing has rejected the idea that it should be included too.

Putin said Russia would be monitoring US nuclear arms and defence activity, paying particular attention to Washington's plans to beef up its missile defences and ideas to deploy missile interceptors in space.

"We will proceed on the basis that the practical implementation of such destabilising actions could nullify our efforts to maintain the status quo in the field of START," said Putin. "We will respond accordingly."