Aides to President Trump want to name a high-level negotiator to oversee nuclear talks with Moscow – an effort that may be delaying a Trump decision on whether to extend America’s last major arms control treaty with Russia
laying out his nuclear doctrine, French President Emmanuel Macron urged New START’s renewal and warned of “the possibility of a pure and unrestrained military and nuclear competition, the likes of which we haven't seen since the end of the 1960s."But Trump is suspicious of the merits of the treaty. He has complained that the pact is not comprehensive enough, and also said it should include Beijing, given China’s reportedly growing nuclear arsenal.
This side argues that arms control agreements such as New START are outdated in part because they do not account for non-strategic or “tactical” nuclear weapons – including ones that cover a shorter range. Russia has a significant stockpile of such nukes. “The treaty doesn’t expire for another year,” he said. “Why all the agonizing when there’s an opportunity for a better deal?”For one thing, it will offer the U.S. and Russia a sense of stability to know that treaty will stay in force, and allow them to better plan for future talks and adjustments to their arsenals. For another, it’s tough to predict what the geopolitical situation will be months from now, and the U.S. and Russia already are at loggerheads over many other issues.
Military officials have also warned that the treaty’s expiration would complicate their efforts to keep tabs on Russia’s nuclear arsenal. Some nuclear observers say Trump’s reaction to New START is simply par for the course given his instinctive dislike of any policy championed by Obama. There’s even a possibility that Trump won’t decide on an extension until after the November election, avoiding placing his imprimatur on an Obama-era deal ahead of the vote.
One key obstacle to any action, including an extension of New START, is the lack of a point person for the negotiations, the former senior Defense Department official said. “I’m told there’s no work going on until they appoint this senior negotiator,” he said.
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