Putin Proposes One-Year Nuclear Deal with Trump to Avert Arms Rac

In a surprising move, Russian President Vladimir Putin has reached out to U.S. President Donald Trump with a proposal to keep nuclear arms limits in place for another year.

This temporary plan would extend key restrictions from the New START treaty, set to expire in February 2026, as a way to prevent a dangerous new arms race.

The offer comes at a time when tensions between Russia and the U.S. remain high due to the war in Ukraine.

During a meeting with his top officials in Moscow on Monday, Putin said Russia is willing to stick to the New START rules—limiting each side to 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 delivery systems like missiles, subs, and bombers—for an extra year.

• Putin offers Trump one-year New START extension to prevent nuclear arms race
• Russia proposes temporary nuclear deal with U.S. as 2026 treaty deadline looms
• Putin’s one-year arms control plan puts pressure on Trump amid global tensions

But he made it clear this only works if the U.S. plays ball. “This will only work if the United States matches our commitment and avoids actions that upset the balance of nuclear deterrence,” Putin said, taking a jab at U.S. plans for beefed-up missile defenses or space weapons.

The New START treaty, signed back in 2010 and extended once in 2021 by Putin and then-President Joe Biden, is the last big nuclear agreement between the two powers. It can’t be renewed again as is, and without a new deal, there’s a real chance both sides could start ramping up their arsenals. Putin’s offer is a change from Russia’s earlier position that arms talks had to wait for better relations with Washington.

Experts are cautiously optimistic. Daryl Kimball from the Arms Control Association called it “a good step” that could lower “major security risks.” Russian senator Konstantin Kosachyov said he hopes Trump takes it as a chance to start talks on a new treaty.

Over in Washington, the White House hasn’t committed yet. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the proposal sounds “pretty good” but left it to Trump to spell out the next steps. Trump has said before he’d like to keep New START’s limits in place after 2026 and even suggested getting China involved, though China’s not interested. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s pushing for tougher U.S. sanctions on Russia, which muddies the waters.

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With Russia and the U.S. holding the world’s biggest nuclear stockpiles, the stakes are huge. If the treaty lapses, it could spark a dangerous buildup. Some former Biden officials quietly back Putin’s idea as a way to keep talks alive. As Trump mulls it over, the world’s left wondering: will this lead to a rare moment of cooperation, or get tangled up in the usual standoff?