Moscow — Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled that Moscow is ready to seek a fresh agreement on strategic offensive weapons with Washington, framing arms control as a critical component of any broader settlement to end the war in Ukraine. His remarks, made ahead of the high-stakes Alaska summit with US president Donald Trump, underscore the Kremlin’s intent to recast the geopolitical agenda from battlefield losses to long-term global security.
Putin described strategic weapons limitations as “a parallel track” that could run alongside negotiations aimed at halting hostilities in Ukraine. The framing serves not only as a diplomatic overture but as a calculated move to regain initiative in talks where Russia faces mounting military, economic, and reputational costs. By coupling nuclear arms control with the Ukraine conflict, Putin is attempting to bind Washington into a broader deal, one that could soften Western pressure and reshape the post-war security landscape.
The Kremlin leader’s statement comes as the New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms pact between the two countries, nears expiration in February 2026. Russia suspended its participation in 2023 but has continued to observe certain limits, using this compliance as a bargaining chip. Analysts believe Moscow sees renewed arms control as a potential concession to the US in exchange for sanctions relief or recognition of territorial gains in Ukraine, a tactic viewed with deep suspicion by Kyiv and European capitals.
Trump, facing both international scrutiny and domestic political stakes, has so far welcomed the possibility of a nuclear accord but has refrained from outlining specific conditions. While the White House portrays the talks as a genuine opportunity to secure peace and reduce nuclear risks, European allies worry that Washington may prioritize bilateral arms control over Ukraine’s demands, effectively sidelining Kyiv at a critical juncture in the war.
For Russia, the narrative shift is clear: move the discourse from the ongoing battlefield stalemate to a vision of “strategic stability,” presenting Putin as a responsible global actor rather than a wartime aggressor. The approach mirrors Soviet-era tactics of using arms control summits to dilute Western unity and stall military pushback. Critics argue that without concrete guarantees, such talks risk becoming a diplomatic smokescreen, buying Moscow time while entrenching its positions in occupied Ukrainian territory.
Ukraine’s leadership remains wary. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned that any agreement made without Kyiv’s direct participation would be “a betrayal of those who have paid in blood for our sovereignty.” European leaders, too, have stressed that arms control cannot come at the cost of territorial concessions, pointing to Russia’s history of exploiting diplomatic processes to secure military advantages.
According to Mehr News, Putin stated that these agreements on strategic offensive weapons could be reached in parallel with resolving the Ukraine conflict, emphasizing that such measures would “create the necessary conditions for long-term peace” between Russia, the US, and Europe. His comments, made just days before the Alaska summit, set the tone for what could become one of the most consequential US–Russia meetings in years.
