Last nuclear treaty between US and Russia nears expiration as Trump and Putin trade testing threats

President Donald Trump (R) and Russian President Vladimir Putin arrive for a press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson on August 15, 2025 in Anchorage, Alaska. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin have spent weeks trading threats to restart nuclear tests, an escalation kicked off by Putin’s boasts about tests of the Poseidon nuclear powered missile in late October.

Days later Trump declared that he had ordered the first US nuclear test in three decades.

The leaders’ provocative public statements, including a Russian reply that it too would explore restarting nuclear weapons testing, have raised global concerns about a new nuclear arms race. Behind the scenes, both sides are also eyeing a critical upcoming deadline: Februar