America does not need to increase the size of its nuclear arsenal to scare rivals like Russia and China. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said this on Friday (June 2). However, the US is willing to talk with Russia regarding the nuclear arms control framework.
Sullivan told the Arms Control Association that the United States did not need to increase nuclear forces to exceed the combined total of its rivals. Putin announced in February that he was freezing Russian cooperation under the provisions of the New START treaty for nuclear weapons and missile inspections amid deepening tensions between Washington and Moscow over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, Russia said it would respect the treaty’s limits on nuclear weapons. The purpose of this treaty was to limit the number of nuclear weapons to 1,550.
Instead of waiting to resolve all our bilateral differences, Jake Sullivan said the United States is ready to engage Russia to manage nuclear risks and develop a post-2026 arms control framework.
What Did Putin Say While Suspending The Agreement?
Addressing the country’s people on one year of the ongoing war with Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin said Russia is suspending its participation in the US’s New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. It is also known as the ‘New Start Nuclear Treaty’.
China Has 410 Nuclear Weapons
According to an annual Federation of American Scientists survey, China has about 410 nuclear weapons. According to an estimate, the number of Chinese weapons may increase to 1,000 by the end of the decade and 1,500 by 2035.
