US President Donald Trump discussed nuclear disarmament with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during talks in Alaska.

"I think disarmament is very, very important," Trump said.

"But Russia is ready to do it, and I think China will be ready too. We cannot allow the proliferation of nuclear weapons. We have to stop nuclear weapons," he added, without revealing details of the conversation.

According to a report by the Federation of American Scientists (FAS), as of March 2024, Russia has a total of 5,580 nuclear warheads, including about 1,200 awaiting dismantlement, which is more than any other country in the world.

Russia's nuclear arsenal includes tactical weapons for use on the battlefield and strategic weapons capable of reaching the US, according to the Kiev Independent.

Moscow has repeatedly made nuclear threats against Ukraine and the West since the start of its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Although these threats have not been carried out, concerns remain about Russia's military ambitions beyond Ukraine.

To date, negotiations on nuclear arms control between Moscow and Washington have made no progress.

A few weeks before the meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska on August 15, the US president ordered two American nuclear submarines to be moved to "appropriate regions" in response to provocative statements by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

Medvedev said that Washington's increased involvement in ending Russia's war against Ukraine could lead to a direct conflict between the US and Moscow.

He repeatedly threatened nuclear escalation and spread Kremlin propaganda portraying Russia as a victim of Western aggression.

Trump accused Medvedev of "entering very dangerous territory," calling him a "failed former president" and warning him to "be careful what he says." | BGNES