Talk of New Atomic Tests by Trump and Putin Should Make the UK Rethink Its Role as a Nuclear Silo for the US
The United Kingdom is being drawn back into a potential new nuclear arms race. Russian President Vladimir Putin indicated that Russia might resume nuclear weapons testing for the first time since the Cold War.
This statement seemed to come in response to President Donald Trump’s announcement on October 30, where he said the United States would restart nuclear tests “on an equal basis” with Russia and China.
Putin said he had been advised by his defense staff that it was “advisable to prepare for full-scale nuclear tests”.
Currently, there is no evidence that either Russia or China has resumed nuclear testing, which most nuclear powers stopped following the test ban treaties of the early 1990s.
Recent Russian Weapons Tests
Trump’s remarks may have been influenced by recent reports of two Russian weapons tests in late October. On October 21, Putin announced Russia had tested the Burevestnik, a nuclear-powered cruise missile belonging to a new generation of such weapons. A few days later, he confirmed the testing of Poseidon, a nuclear-powered underwater drone with torpedo-like capabilities.
U.S. Clarification
The U.S. Department of Energy later clarified that Washington has no plans for nuclear detonations, suggesting that Trump may have confused Russia’s tests of nuclear-capable delivery systems like the Burevestnik and Poseidon with actual nuclear warhead tests.
Author’s Summary
The renewed talk of atomic tests by major powers signals a dangerous move backward, underlining the need for the UK to reassess its strategic nuclear alignment with the United States.