Trump Says He’s Spoken With China and Russia About Nuclear Pact

(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump said he's spoken recently with Russian President Vladimir Putin and with China's leaders about a new nuclear weapons accord, on the day that a 1987 pact with the Kremlin that limits intermediate-range weapons expired.

Trump said on Thursday that he believes Putin would like to reach a new accord to limit Russian and U.S. nuclear arsenals. “They get rid of some, we get rid of some,” he told reporters on Friday, adding that China would also need to be involved. Both countries are excited about the prospect, he said.

“It would be a great thing for the world,” he told reporters as he departed the White House on Friday for his Bedminster, New Jersey golf resort, adding that it would save the countries money on defense spending.

The U.S. withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty earlier this year after accusing Russia of violating the accord. The treaty expired Friday; senior administration officials said the U.S. military would soon begin testing conventional weapons that would have violated the pact.

Arms-control experts fear the U.S. and Russia may let a more extensive treaty, New START, expire after 2021 without a replacement, which could lead to a new arms race between the countries.

To contact the reporter on this story: Justin Sink in Washington at jsink1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alex Wayne at awayne3@bloomberg.net, Joshua Gallu

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