Russian Diplomat Reacts to Donald Trump Nuclear Weapons Goal

Russian diplomat Mikhail Ulyanov said President Donald Trump's denuclearization goal is "out of the question" but acknowledged that certain cuts are "quite understandable" in an interview with the state-run Rossiya-24 television channel, as reported by the state news agency Tass.

Newsweek has reached out to the State Department for comment via email on Friday.

Why It Matters

Since Russian President Vladimir Putin's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, tensions between Russia and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members have flared, with repeated threats of nuclear escalation. However, since Trump has taken office he has signaled a desire for denuclearization, and closer ties with Russia.

Russia has the largest stockpile of nuclear warheads in the world, followed by the U.S.

What To Know

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, "It would be great if everybody would get rid of their nuclear weapons. I know Russia and us have by far the most."

He noted that in a few years, China will catch up and said: "It would be great if we could all denuclearize because the power of nuclear weapons is crazy."

On Friday, Ulyanov, the Russian Permanent Representative to International Organizations in Vienna, including ones focused on energy and nuclear nonproliferation, said in an interview on Rossiya-24 that he was weary of Trump's total denuclearization push, saying, "As far as I understand based on Trump's speech, he spoke about the complete elimination of nuclear arsenals. I am afraid he is getting ahead of things. This is out of the question now."

He then added, "However, some cuts or arms control measures are quite understandable." It is not clear which measures could be implemented.

In a social media post on X, formerly Twitter, Ulyanov wrote: "The new US administration is seriously concerned about a possibility of WEIII [WWIII] and tries to prevent it. The European leaders in their turn demonstrate an opposite approach which includes nuclear rhetoric."

Since taking office, Trump has significantly shifted the U.S. approach to Russia, often speaking more favorably of the country, in contrast to the previous administration of President Joe Biden, which strongly supported Ukraine.

Last Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump, and Vice President JD Vance engaged in a fiery Oval Office exchange that further strained relations but drew positive reactions from the Kremlin.

Europe has been shaken by the Trump administration's approach to security, with countries openly questioning the future of the NATO, which they had seen as their main protection for decades.

A 2024 report by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS) estimates Russia possesses 5,580 nuclear warheads. FAS reported that the U.S. has 5,044 and China has 500, whereas the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) says Russia and the U.S. possess 4,380 and 3,708, respectively. The U.S. government previously revealed in September 2023 that it had 3,748 nuclear warheads at the time.

For now, there are only nine nations believed to be in possession of nuclear weapons, in order of number of warheads: Russia, U.S., China, France, Britain, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea.

Trump's denuclearization call aligns with his broader strategy to cut U.S. defense spending and redirect funds toward domestic priorities. He proposed initiating negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, aiming to reduce military budgets significantly.

What People Are Saying

Sharon Squassoni, a research professor at George Washington University who previously served in the U.S. government, told Newsweek: "Faith in the United States is at an all-time low. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see the worst chain of nuclear weapons proliferation since the 1940s in the midst of this chaos. And, of course, that would make the world a much more dangerous place."

Elena Sokova, executive director of the nonprofit Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation told Newsweek: "Many of the countries that earlier decided to forego the nuclear weapons option did so precisely because of the protection provided by the United States and alliances."

Lucas Ruiz, a fellow with the Stimson Center, a Washington think tank focused on security issues, in a blog post: "The current modernization push is fueled by a pathology of nuclear superiority brinkmanship, which is accelerating a headlong rush into a new nuclear arms race and increasing the odds of a confrontation between nuclear powers."

Alistair Burnett, head of media for the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, told Newsweek: "President Trump has a long track record of talking about nuclear weapons and the threat they pose to humanity. He raised the issue several times during his election campaign last year, and several times since he became president, he has said he would like to talk to Russia and China about "denuclearization."

What Happens Next

The Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) treaty between the U.S. and Russia, which was signed back in 2010, was renewed in 2021 and is set to expire next February.