Key Takeaways
- The possibility of US President-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussing options for mutual restrictions in the nuclear field is not ruled out.
- New START treaty expiration may lead to discussions on mutual constraints.
- Nuclear arms control between the US and Russia is a necessity for both countries to avoid unconstrained strategic nuclear competition.
Moscow: The possibility of US President-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussing options for mutual restrictions between the two countries in the nuclear sphere during their upcoming direct interaction is not ruled out, Arms Control Association (ACA) Executive Director Daryl Kimball told RIA Novosti.
“To date, Trump and his team have not offered a plan for constraining dealing with Russia’s strategic arsenal nor has President Putin. But it is likely that the two presidents will engage in direct discussions regarding the conflict in Ukraine, and other issues, and it is possible, if not likely that they will discuss options for mutual constraints following the expiration of New START,” Kimball said.
Nuclear arms control between the United States and Russia is a necessity for both countries, the ACA head said.
“While trust may be at an all-time low, that is all the more reason for the two sides to avoid unconstrained strategic nuclear competition now or in the future,” Kimball added.
