On 4 May, U.S President Donald Trump tweeted that he had a “long and very good” talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Among the topics discussed were North Korean denuclearisation, Ukraine, the political situation in Venezuela, and the possibility of a new nuclear accord. This comes after increasing tension between the two nations, including the U.S. withdrawal early this year from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

The possibility of a comprehensive new nuclear arms treaty was a major conversation point. Speaking to reporters on Friday, President Trump stated, “We’re talking about a nuclear agreement where we make less, and they make less and maybe where we get rid of some of the tremendous firepower that we have right now”. White House Press Spokeswoman Sarah Sanders expanded on this, saying that “they discussed a nuclear agreement, both new and extended, and the possibility of having conversations with China on that as well.” However, it is currently unclear whether this would mean a new nuclear accord or a renegotiation of the current New START Deal, which seeks to include China.

The New START Deal has been in place since 2011, replacing the previous Treaty of Moscow (SORT) between the United States and Russia. The New START requires the United States and Russia to limit their nuclear delivery systems and reduce the number of nuclear weapons deployed. The limit of deployable warheads is 1550 warheads. New START is due to expire in 2021, but there is the possibility of a 5-year extension if both parties agree. This likelihood is uncertain, however. Since his inauguration, President Trump has been incredibly critical of New START, even calling it “one-sided” in his first phone call with Putin in 2017.

A new agreement would be a welcome development in international relations. It would be encouraging although not necessary for China to be involved in a new multilateral non-proliferation deal. The Federation of American Scientists currently estimates that China has none of its nuclear warheads deployed. Instead, all are in storage. The United States and Russia, meanwhile, each have 1,600 nuclear weapons on active deployment. It is ultimately much more important for these two nations to reach an agreement on the reduction of their nuclear arsenals. According to the Federation of American Scientists, the two nations possess 93% of the world’s nuclear arsenal and maintain more active warheads than any other nuclear power.

It remains to be seen whether anything will come of this conversation. An extension of the New START Treaty, or an entirely new nuclear accord, would be positive steps towards global peace. However, this would be coming on the heels of U.S withdrawal from the 1987 INF Treaty. This move has been seen as destabilising, with critics fearing that it would trigger a new nuclear arms race. The United States and Russia have also disagreed over several foreign crises, including the current situation in Venezuela. Further steps towards nuclear disarmament would be welcomed. However, for these to be meaningful will require more than a phone call.