Putin Orders Proposals on Preparing for "Nuclear Tests" Following Trump's Statements

Russian President Vladimir Putin today, Wednesday, ordered top military and defense officials to submit proposals regarding the possibility of conducting nuclear tests. This request is a direct response to statements by US President Donald Trump that Washington would resume such testing.

Trump's Statements and the Russian Response

• Trump's Position: Trump stated via his "Truth Social" platform, ahead of his meeting with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, that the US would resume nuclear testing to conduct them "on a par" with other nations, implicitly referring to Russia.

• Washington Post Interpretation: The "Washington Post" reported that this move is based on speculation within the Trump administration suggesting that nuclear tests are necessary given escalating nuclear threats from Russia, China, and North Korea, all of whom have recently updated their nuclear systems.

• Putin's Response: Putin asserted that if other countries conduct such tests, Russia must respond accordingly.

Context of Nuclear Testing and International Treaties

• Cessation History: US nuclear testing ceased during the administration of President George W. Bush Jr.

• International Treaty: Testing was internationally banned by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) of 1996, a treaty which:

  • Washington has not ratified.

  • Moscow withdrew its signature from in 2023.

• Executive Responsibility: The responsibility for nuclear testing in the US falls to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) under the Department of Energy, which oversees the Nevada Test Site. The last US nuclear test was conducted in September 1992.