Trump: U.S. and Russia to Extend the New Start Treaty on the Limitation of Nuclear Weapons

According to the U.S. President, the reduction of Russia, the U.S. and China’s spending on nuclear weapons would benefit all three countries Russia and the United States to extend the New Start treaty on further limitation of nuclear weapons, told U.S. President Donald Trump in an interview with reporters in the White House. “I will say the following: if we can get a pact with Russia where they reduce and we reduce nuclear [weapons] that would be a great great thing for the world. And I do believe this will happen. We have discussed it,” the American leader said. Trilateral deal According to the head of the U.S. administration, he touched upon the prospects of further reduction of nuclear weapons in the world talking to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President XI Jinping. "I discussed it with President Putin, – told the Trump. – I also discussed it with China.” “China was very, very excited about talking about it and so was Russia,” said Donald Trump. “So I think we'll have a deal at some point”" Trump stressed. Mr. Trump said his administration had been speaking to Russia “about a pact for nuclear, so that they get rid of some, we get rid of some". “We’d certainly have to include China at some point,” he added. But now we are number one, Russia is number two, and China is number three. China is quite a bit down , in terms of nuclear China is much lower [then Russia and the United States]. Nevertheless, “we'd certainly have to include China at some point,” the President said. Normalization of relations In this regard, he once again confirmed that he supports the normalization of relations between the U.S. and Russia. From Trump's point of view, the obstacle to achieving this goal was the investigation of the circumstances of the alleged foreign interference in the course of the U.S. presidential elections of 2016, which was led by special Prosecutor Robert Mueller. This investigation, which Trump called as a witch hunt, was completed in spring this year. “I would say the relationship is good. We're trying to have a good relationship. It is very hard in light of the funny witch hunt, which is now completed,” – said the American leader. He also expressed confidence that the reduction of Russia, the United States and China's expenses for nuclear weapons would benefit all three countries. “If we can reduce costs by concluding a pact with Russia and China, that would be very good for all three countries,” Trump is convinced. Breakup the INF Treaty In addition, he commented on the U.S. withdrawal from the Russian-American Treaty on the elimination of intermediate-range missiles (INF). Trump, following other representatives of the Washington administration, accused Moscow’s violating the provisions of this Treaty. “However, within the framework of this particular pact, which you are talking about and which has expired today, they did not fulfill their obligations, and I said: if they do not fulfil their obligations, we must do it. We always have to be in a lead. I have redone our nuclear, we have new nuclear coming", said the President of the United States. The United States suspended its obligations under the INF Treaty on 2 February on the basis of Russia's alleged violation of the Treaty. For the first time Washington accused Moscow in non-compliance with the INF Treaty  in July 2014. According to the U.S. administration, Russia's creation of the 9M729 missile was a violation of the Treaty. Moscow rejects such conclusions of Washington and makes to it a number of counter claims concerning implementation by the American side of the contract affecting, for example, U.S. missile-defense asset in Europe. The United States in February warned that in accordance with article 15 of the Treaty they will come out of it in six months if Russia does not comply with their requirements, including primarily the destruction of missiles 9M729. Moscow regarded such Washington steps as the delivering of obviously unacceptable ultimatums. On 2 August, the U.S. withdrew from the INF Treaty. This agreement was signed by Moscow and Washington in 1987. On the back of it the parties destroyed 2692 missiles of two classes a while ago. At the same time the parties are holding consultations on the future of the Russian-American Treaty on measures for the further reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms (new start). The Treaty is effective until 2021 unless replaced by a subsequent treaty before that date. It can be extended for no more than five years (until 2026) by mutual agreement of the parties. As Putin said in an interview with the Financial Times on the eve of the recent G20 Summit in Japan and his meeting with American counterpart, “if the Treaty will cease to exist, then, in fact, there will not be any instruments, limiting the arms race in the world.” TASS