Trump calls for a new nuclear arms control treaty to be established

On February 5, Xinhua News Agency reported from Washington that U.S. President Trump stated on social media that instead of extending the U.S.-Russia New START Treaty, which is set to expire that day, efforts should be made to formulate a "better and modernized" new treaty that can be effective in the long term.

Trump claimed that the New START Treaty, previously signed and extended by the Democratic administration, is a "bad" agreement reached by the U.S. in negotiations and has been "seriously violated." However, he did not elaborate on this.

Later, at a White House press conference, White House Press Secretary Levitt reiterated Trump's statement, indicating that Trump wants U.S. experts to begin drafting a new treaty to replace the New START Treaty. When asked whether both the U.S. and Russia agreed to adhere to the relevant terms of the New START Treaty during the negotiations for the new treaty, Levitt said he was not aware.

Earlier that day, the U.S. news site Axios reported that the U.S. and Russia had been negotiating in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, for the past 24 hours regarding the continued compliance with the New START Treaty, and were close to reaching an agreement.

The U.S. and Russia signed the New START Treaty in 2010, aimed at limiting the number of nuclear warheads and delivery vehicles deployed by both countries. The treaty officially came into effect on February 5, 2011, originally set to last for 10 years, and was later extended through negotiations to February 5, 2026. In an interview in January this year, Trump stated that he was not concerned about the impending expiration of the treaty and expressed confidence that both sides would reach a new agreement.