Trump Welcomes Putin’s Proposal to Extend Nuclear Weapons Limits Amid Tensions Over Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed openness to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s offer to maintain limits on strategic nuclear weapons, calling it “a good idea.” Putin’s proposal echoes the terms of the 2010 New START treaty, which restricts the size of the U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals and is set to expire in February.

Speaking to reporters before leaving the White House on Sunday, Trump said he supports the idea if it ensures mutual restraint between the two nations. Moscow’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia confirmed that Russia is still awaiting an official response from Washington regarding the proposal.

The offer comes amid escalating tensions following reports of Russian drone incursions into NATO airspace after Trump and Putin met in Alaska in August. In a video released Sunday, Putin warned that U.S. plans to provide Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles could “destroy” relations between Washington and Moscow. The missiles, capable of striking targets up to 2,500 kilometers away, would put much of Russia — including Moscow — within Ukraine’s reach.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance recently acknowledged that the administration is considering Kyiv’s request for such missiles, though a final decision has yet to be made. According to U.S. officials cited by Reuters, logistical challenges may hinder the plan since most Tomahawk inventories are allocated to the U.S. Navy.

Trump, who has previously criticized Putin for failing to end the war in Ukraine, made his comments while touring the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush off the Virginia coast. He is also scheduled to deliver a speech aboard the Harry S. Truman.

The proposed extension of nuclear limits could mark a rare moment of cooperation between Washington and Moscow, even as the two powers remain divided over Ukraine and global security concerns.